


Playgirl

by Princess_Diarist



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dirty Thoughts, Eventual Smut, Exes, F/M, Gen, Lots of Sex, Lots of sex talk, Love Triangles, Other, Sex, Sex Talk, Sexual Tension, Virginity, disaster bi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-05-14 14:44:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 41,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14771645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princess_Diarist/pseuds/Princess_Diarist
Summary: Link, a very shy young writer, ends up meeting a charming and witty cabaret hostess, after his editor takes him there under false premises.





	1. Princess

**Author's Note:**

> This began after I received a drawing request of Zelda in a bunny suit. I started working this first on my head, and then outlined the plot, and here it is, thanks mostly to the encouragement of Oli (Liv-andletdie).
> 
> This is getting a E rating because there will be plenty of adult talk and situations. And dirty thoughts.

Annoyingly bright neon lights and loud, rhythmic electronic beats accompanied by a slightly R&B melody were all over the place, the flashes of strobe lights blinding him.

‘Is this a stripper club?’, a blond young man dressed in a green shirt, brown leather jacket, jeans, and boots, asked his companion at the foyer of the classically decorated place. ‘I didn’t sign up for this shit, lest on a freaking Thursday, and right before tomorrow’s meeting’.

' _The Castle,_ old sport? You know _nothing_ , Wolfhardt’, a slightly older man in a suit, with auburn hair and round glasses told him. 'This is the finest cabaret in town, which caters to public of all orientations and tastes’.

‘That’s “stripper club” in fancy, Shad’, the blond retorted, a little pissed his editor-turned friend-and-roommate had brought him under false premises. ‘And don’t call me by my alias’.

‘Sorry, pal’, he patted his back. ‘It’s absolutely not as you think, believe me, Link’. His attention turned to the receptionist, a woman around their age, with raven black hair, pale skin, heavily eyelined eyes, and dressed in a wine-colored pantsuit. ‘Hello, Ashei. Got a reservation’.

She snorted. ‘You are pretty much of the house, dude’.

‘I blame that on you’, he grinned at her.

 

Link just rolled his eyes.

 

‘Don’t sound like a fuckboy, please’, she cut him, and handed Shad an envelope. ‘It’s a treat for the newbie’.

‘I told the King you are a virgin’, he joked, giving his friend the black envelope with gold letters.

Link just slapped his forehead. _A_ **_virgin_ ** _, seriously?!_

‘He loves to give something special to newcomers like you’, Shad added.

 

Both men entered the place, Link realizing his friend was right: the place was hardly sordid, actually quite the opposite, very elegant and lavish, like an glamourous vintage theatre, decorated in black, blue and gold, with a bar, an enormous chandelier hanging on the roof, and booths as seating.

On the stage was a singer, a thick lady in her forties dressed in a purple satin dress with flowers decorating her updo, with an impressive voice.

 

‘I have to take back my words and chew’em, man’, Link admitted as both men walked towards the bar, near the stage, ‘this place is freaking fancy’.

‘Hey, Shad!’, a feminine, soft voice made the men stop, and turn.

 

And Link could not believe his eyes.

 

A tall brunette woman approached them.

And what a woman she was: long, curvy legs accented by black stilettos and tights, round hips, a waspish waist, and a bosom not as ample as her hips, all framed by a black satin bodice. Her neck was adorned by a shirt collar with a black bow tie, hands by cuffs; her beautiful blue eyes popped, framed by dark lashes and lids smoked with eyeshadow. The smirk on her lips was tinted in rose gold tones, same as her cheeks. The soft highlighter dusted on her collarbones, cleavage and shoulders made her skin glow softly under the lights.

 

 _Hylia help me. Goddesses, she is gorgeous,_ were the only thoughts on his head.

 

Her long, straight golden brown hair fell loose, parted on the middle, topped by…

 

_What the fuck. Are those bunny ears?_

_YES THEY ARE._

_OH FUCK._

_SHE'S WEARING A BUNNY SUIT. WITH A FLUFFY TAIL AND ALL._

 

‘Princess!’, Shad waved at the tall woman, ‘good to see you tonight!’

‘Same to you, dear!’, she waved back. ‘I see you brought a friend’, her eyes locking with Link’s.

 _She is tall. Hella tall. Don't stare at her... everything,_ the blond told himself.

'Nice to meet you’, she smiled at him, offering her hand. 'I’m Princess, and you?’

_Call me anything you want._

'Link’, he answered meekly, and shook her hand. ‘How do ya do, ma’am’.

‘Howdy!’, she winked and smiled coquettishly, ‘a southerner!

_Oh, step on me, for heaven's sake. How can you be so cute and hot at the same time?_

 

Link just nodded, before his thoughts slurred out of his mouth.

 

‘Ashei gave you an envelope, didn't she, Shad?’

‘Yup, for my pal here’.

‘Open it, Mr. Link’, she requested softly.

He broke the wax seal on the envelope, and took out a handwritten card.

 

_Dear Sir,_

_Welcome to The Castle. We hope you enjoy your first time here. As a complimentary treat, besides free drinks, you will enjoy the company and guidance of our most coveted hostess, Princess._

_Best regards,_

_Mr. King, Owner of The Castle_

 

‘I am at your full disposal tonight, Mr. Link’, she confirmed.

Link's jaw dropped.

‘Priceless face, old sport’, Shad took a step aside. ‘A certain lady is about to finish her shift. I leave him in your hands, Princess’.

‘Good luck, Shad!’, the hostess waved him goodbye, to Link’s even more shocked face.

‘I don’t bite, Mr. Link’, Princess assured him coyly. ‘You should relax’. He almost melted when she held his hand and stroked it softly.

 

_Oh Gods they feel like silk. I will submit to you, I mean, relax, Miss Princess._

 

He nodded.

 

‘Follow me then, Sir’.

 

She guided him through the seatings to a door, behind which was a  flight of stairs leading to a mezzanine with a large C-shaped sofa and a bar with stools.

 

‘W-where are we, Miss Princess?’

‘The VIP Lounge, Mr. Link, have a seat’, Princess pointed at the sofa. ‘Would you like a drink?’

Link’s mind was screaming, eyes wandering.

 

_Fuck! I barely drink! I get wasted by smelling alcohol!!! I should say something cool, right?!_

_Whiskey? Nope._

_Martini? Trying too hard._

_Tequila? NEVER AGAIN._

_Beer? No way._

_Vodka? Not today, Satan._

_Rum? Not a chance._

 

And then, the image of a movie about a dude who loved bowling and trouble enlightened him.

‘A white russian’, he answered nonchalantly.

 

Princess blinked, surprised by his request.

‘Interesting choice’, she affirmed, and went to the bar, pouring and mixing behind it, coming out with one tumbler with a white and brown mix and a tall glass with what looked like a vodka tonic.

 

‘There you go, Sir’. She sat next to him. ‘Cheers!’

Glasses clinked, and both drank.

 

He realized there was something wrong with his drink. It didn’t feel like it was burning his throat; it was creamy, fresh, and with a tinge of chocolate and coffee.

 

‘It’s a virgin’, she explained with a sweet tone, ‘just like you’.

‘What?’, he felt a cold shiver down his back.

‘You are a virgin, right?’, Princess asked nonchalantly, sipping her drink.

_Your angel face tells me even if I deny it, you already know I’d be a big fat liar._

‘In every sense of the word’, he admitted, looking at her in the eye, sweating nervously.

‘I knew it!’, she smiled, and held her hands over her heart, ‘peeps like you are my specialty!’

‘What?’, his eyes widened, and his hands clutched his glass as if it was his very own heart.

 

_Shad, you four-eyed fucker. First ya ditch my ass here, and then leave me to the mercy of the Goddesses, even if it’s with the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen._

 

‘Don’t be scared, please!’, she patted his back, really worried she had intimidated him, ‘I was joking, I won’t do anything to you! I can’t and I won’t defile you!’

Her choice of words, her sweetness, and her truly honest expression made him burst into laugh.

‘I know you won’t, I’m sorry!’, he covered his face, still laughing, embarrassed, ‘It’s just that I suck at talking to women!’

She chuckled. ‘I could figure out as much, darling’.

‘It’s my first time at a cabaret too’, he sipped his drink. ‘I thought it was a stripper club’.

 

Zelda laughed.

 

‘You poor thing, I can imagine you were wrecked!’, she stroked his hair tenderly, Link relaxing under her touch.

_I'm not melting. I'm not a puddle of goo under your touch. I don't wanna put my head on your lap and fall asleep while you scratch my head like I was a kitty._

‘Mr. King is really serious about his business, he values professionalism’, she affirmed him, grabbing her drink. ‘Did you know he was married to one of the former performers?’

The fact caught his attention. ‘Really?’

‘Yes, they had kids and all’, she stirred her drink and took a sip, ‘He has been always been used to the lifestyle. This is a family business, after all. His grandfather opened this place almost a century ago’.

‘That's some fun story! Worthy of a novel!’, Link affirmed, feeling strangely at ease now with the beautiful brunette hostess.

‘Talking about novels, how do you know Shad?’, she asked curious. ‘Sorry if this sounds biased, but you don't look like an editor’.

‘Yer right, I ain't no editor’, he chuckled, ‘you are pretty keen! Believe it or not… I'm actually a writer. I use an alias though’.

‘That's cool’, she smiled, not too impressed by his statement. ‘Thanks for the compliment, I pride myself being a good observer’.

‘You ain't surprised. I like that’, he smiled.

‘It's just another job’, she shrugged. ‘It just sounds fancy. What do you write?’

‘Short stories mostly, I'm working on a novel now. I published an anthology last year, _The Tree house_ ’.

‘You are Linus Wolfhardt?’, she asked incredulous, closing the distance between the two, looking at him to the last detail.

He nodded, fighting the urge of staring at her cleavage.

‘Your pen name sounds like a presumptuous old man's’.

‘I know, it's intentionally misleading’.

‘You write nicely, but the characterization of the girl in “ _The Horse Call_ ” is horrible’, she commented, very serious. ‘It's a cookie-cutter manic pixie dream girl! She doesn’t feel _real_ , it’s as if she didn’t have a life of her own besides longing for the guy. It's cutesy and charming on the surface, but shows blatantly you have zero experience with women, no offense’.

 

_Savage._

 

‘None taken’, he blushed, a little taken aback by her biting words. ‘I don’t precisely love it either… the editor back then said I _had_ to include something romantic. And to think because of that the book sold like pancakes’.

‘At least you know it wasn't good, self-criticism is important’, she smiled with a shrug, ‘the core problem can also be fixed’, she stood up in a slow, almost feline motion.

_What core problem? OH FUCK. THAT PROBLEM… DON'T LOOK AT HER A… TAIL._

‘How?’, he asked, his voice almost faint.

She crouched, one hand on his cheek, the other over his chest, her breath tickling his jaw.

‘With _experience_ ’, she hushed. ‘I can help, if you want to…’

Link's head went blank after imagining all  “experience” could encompass, flashes of images of sweaty bare pale skin, bitten lips, and long brown hair spilled on a bed on his mind.

 

The snap of fingers woke him up from his reverie.

 

‘Sport, are you OK?’, Shad asked worried. ‘Princess, you didn't scare him?’

‘Absolutely not’, she shrugged, winking at Link.

‘We should be getting back, we gotta show big boss the first three chapters of the novel tomorrow’, he took Link back to reality

‘Don't remind me, please’, the blond rubbed his temples and got up from the couch.

‘Too bad you have to go’, Princess sighed. ‘I hope you can come again soon’.

Link nodded, still trying to tame his imagination. ‘Goodbye, Miss Princess’.

‘Don't say _goodbye_ , Mr. Link’, she smiled, and kissed his cheek, leaving him marked. ‘We will surely meet again’.

‘Lucky boy!’, Shad patted his friend's back and waved the hostess goodbye, both leaving the premises and hailing a cab.

‘Did you have a good time, pal?’, Shad asked his still silent friend on the way. ‘Was Princess nice?’

‘She was... _insightful_ ’, Link muttered, stroking the lipstick mark on his cheek. ‘I'll rewrite the manuscript when we get home’.

‘What? Are you wack?’, he asked, thinking his friend was insane.

‘Nope, just… Inspired’.

 

Once back in the apartment, and with a mug of steaming coffee, Link turned on his notebook, and began skimming the text, afraid of what he would see now.

 

 _Twenty-five pages of bullshit. This sucks. She was right. The female romantic interests I've written are terrible. I can’t write women._ Link scratched his head nervous, and rose to change his clothes into pajamas before diving into work.

A pink card fell as he took off his green shirt, the color catching his eye.

 

 _Looks like a business card_ , he observed, turning it to see if it had text.

 

_Zelda King_

_Counselor and Sex Therapist_

_333-20061119_

 

 _Who the heck is this?,_ his eyes squinted at the card. _Zelda… King?_

And upon a realization, his eyes widened.

_Oh. For Nayru, Farore, and Din, no way._

 

He dashed to Shad’s door, and knocked quick, his friend already in pajamas and glassless, perplex at his impulsive reaction.

 

‘Dude, is Princess Mr. King’s daughter?!’, Link asked agitated.

‘Sport, it's _ridiculously_ obvious, isn't it?’, eyes squinting to attempt seeing him.

Link nodded, waving his friend goodnight and returning to his room.

 

Despite his shock, he began to write.


	2. Zelda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link makes a courageous move, and receives a nice reward.

Monday.

 

He had survived Friday, and the rewrite of his preview, thanks to a lot of coffee and a miraculous stroke of inspiration.

All the changes he had made were approved.

Well, he actually had written the beginning of a whole new novel during those restless hours, and had spent the rest of the weekend almost with a burnout, sleeping mostly.

Also, gathering a mountain of courage to call a phone number. She had sneaked that business card with that intention apparently.

 

_I should text her first, so she will know it's me… or maybe she will think I'm a random creep who is trying to send her a dick pic… nope, I'll just call,_ he wondered, lying on his bed lazily, still in the worn track pants and old t-shirt he wore as pajamas, staring at the ceiling.

 

He reached his phone, looked at the screen and tapped the number without thinking any longer.

The dialing sound felt like an eternity; he could feel his heart beating like a hammer.

 

‘Hello?’, a soft voice answered suddenly, a gasp leaving his throat.

 

_It's her! Talk!_

 

‘P-Princess…-he corrected himself - ...Z-Zelda?’, he stammered.

A delightful feminine laugh was his answer.

‘I thought you would never call me, Link’, she admitted. ‘I saw you so scared, and honestly, I thought you would totally lose my card’.

‘I didn’t…I found it as soon as I got home, I was just kinda freaked out and overworked, sorry… Z-Ze..’, he was doubtful, scratching his hair.

‘Call me by my name’, she insisted.

‘Alright… _Zelda_ ’, he sighed.

‘That's better’, her voice chimed, ‘How have you been? I remember you and Shad had to show the big shots the first chapters of your new work’.

‘I got home to work and rework on my stuff, taking your comments into consideration, ma’am’, he sighed. ‘You were right, I suck’.

‘You do, but just at writing women’, she giggled. ‘My offer to help you still stands, by the way’.

‘Huh?’ _Oh fuuuuuck._

‘It doesn't involve anything sexual between you and me, believe me’.

Link sighed in relief. _Don't fantasize, ya dork._

‘Your purity is safe with me’, Zelda joked. ‘Would you like to get coffee during the week? You know, to get to know each other, be friends and such’.

‘Yes, absolutely!’ _Oh gosh, oh yes, hot damn yes. Whatever you say. You own me._

‘How about tomorrow?’, she offered. ‘I don't have patients or household chores’.

‘Patients?’ - he remembered the second line of her card- ‘Oh, yes, _patients_ ’.

She giggled.

‘It's OK for you to freak out a little about my job’, she reassured him. ‘People think immediately weird of me when they read my business card’.

Link sighed relieved, never expecting she would be so down to earth.

‘So, tomorrow, 11am? I know a very nice café near the main square. I'll send you the address’.

‘It's perfect’.

‘I have a patient now, see you soon Link!’, she bid him goodbye, and hung.

 

He whispered a “bye”, and sighed, staring at the ceiling, wanting time to move fast.

 

* * *

  


‘You are real’, he blurted when she faced him on their rendezvous place, a tiny, unpretentious café. ‘Like, really, really real’.

 

_Princess_ stood before him, less towering and intimidating in sneakers, black jeans and sweater, a dusty pink wool coat that contrasted with the warm reds and yellows of the crisp fall leaves, and a black bag on her shoulder; her face, free from its night time makeup, looked less heavenly temptress and more girl-next-door, especially with her long hair tied in a ponytail.

 

The only thing that didn’t change was her gorgeous, ice-melting smile.

 

‘Yes, I am not a hallucination, nor a delirium’, she affirmed, with the chime of a laugh. ‘I think it would be proper to reintroduce ourselves. I'm Zelda King’.

‘I'm Link Graham, not some... presumptuous old man’, he joked, voice a tad shaky.

‘That’s more like you’, she assured him. ‘Let’s go inside’.

 

After both took a seat at a table near the window and ordered, she started the conversation, as Zelda saw his companion a little nervous.

 

‘If you don't mind… How old are you?’, she asked him before sipping her fragrant hazelnut coffee.

‘Twenty-one’.

‘Baby!’, she joked, ‘I turned 23 last Pink Moon’.

_Note that down: day 15 of the fourth month. She is a spring child. It suits her perfectly, all pink and sweetness, and that delicious laugh._

‘You ain't precisely an old hag either, missy’, he rebuked her comment, taking off his moss green bomber jacket.

‘Still, you're younger than me’, she winked at him. ‘When is your birthday?’

‘First of the twelfth month. I'm a pumpkin pie child’.

‘I like pumpkin pie, it's tasty’, she smirked, his reaction a choking sound on hot chocolate.

Link tapped his chest, all blushed. ‘Don't tease, please’.

‘Not teasing at all, I like it just as I like you’, she cleared out. ‘You are sweet, made a conscious effort to not stare at my boobs or butt while I talked at the lounge, and instead of sending me an unwanted picture or video of your parts, you _actually called me,_ and _without second intentions._ You seem to be a pretty decent guy in my book so far’.

‘I could have them’, he tried to sound sly, sipping again his drink. ‘Appearances can be deceiving’.

‘If you wanted me for sex it would have been a booty call on a Saturday night, just that, and I wouldn't be here with you’.

 

_She is right._ Link just nodded, knowing she was more than correct.

 

‘The other night you told me you were… _Inexperienced_ ’, she emphasized on the euphemism, all serene.

‘You sound like you are about to analyze me’, he joked, a tad embarrassed.

‘Not at all, dear’, she stirred her beverage. ‘What if I told you I don't have extensive sexual experience myself albeit I'm _very_ knowledgeable on the matter?’

 

She held his gaze for a while, his jaw hanging.

 

_You gotta be shitting me, you heavenly creature._

 

‘I… wouldn't believe it’, he affirmed, ‘because you're so assertive and confident. Look at me, I'm a mess’.

‘But indeed I am like this’, Zelda smiled, ‘I _could_ do it with anyone I wanted, anytime, but I _choose_ not to’.

He looked attentively at her.

‘You ain't lying’.

‘Why would I? It's a sensitive matter’, she shrugged. ‘Call me anything, but I wouldn't do it with someone I don't have a real bond with. To me, sex can't be casual or a whim of the moment; I need to trust someone a little, or have a glimpse into their personality before getting there … I tried to do it before this realization, when I was younger and extremely eager to get laid, but I was repulsed when the moment came. All my relationships have been based on that principle since then’.

 

Her words hit a chord within him.

 

‘It sorta makes sense’, Link nodded, smiling at her. ‘You believe in meaningful relationships… That's lovely’.

‘Something tells me you are more or less on the same page as me’, she smiled, concealed by her coffee cup.

‘So-so, but a whole lotta awkward. I'm terrible at socializing, no matter the gender. I freak out, and get super anxious sometimes, so tryin’ to smooth-talk someone is outta reach’, he shuddered, ‘I still dunno how I can talk so chill to ya’.

 

Guilt washed all over the tall brunette, her brow furrowed and her lips down.

 

‘I'm really sorry if I made you uncomfortable the other night’, she squeezed his hand with a little pout on her lips, ‘I'm a bit of a pushover sometimes’.

‘I think I was more intimidated by your bunny suit, you're nice’, his eyes focused on their hands, almost holding. ‘Ungodly sexy, but really nice’.

Zelda laughed dearly, pink tinting her cheeks.

‘I'm not always like that’, she giggled, ‘it was a side effect of the suit and your bashfulness, I liked poking you a little’.

_Goddesses, ain't you a sweetheart with that cute laugh o’ yours?_

‘What does your family think of you working there at The Castle?’, he changed the subject, mostly out of curiosity. ‘I assume your father approves’.

‘My mom was a burlesque dancer, what do _you_ think?’, she asked back with a smirk, booping his nose tip, awaiting for his reaction.

Link's face was priceless, eyes widened and hung jaw. Zelda couldn't resist laughing.

‘I am as empowered and enlightened as I can possibly be, my parents didn't want wilting, frail flowers for daughters’.

‘You have a sister?!’, he was surprised for her revelation. ‘You gave me this “only child” vibe’.

‘I was for quite some time. My little sister is twelve’, the brunette smiled warmly.

‘Same as my little brother!’

‘No way! That's such a funny coincidence!’, she gasped, taking her phone out, swiping through its screen. ‘This is Agitha, and my dad’.

 

On a picture was a cute blonde girl with pigtails, bangs, clad in a frilly pink and lavender butterfly print dress, holding on to the neck of a kind-looking middle aged man with gray hair and beard.

‘And your mom?’, he asked for the missing family member.

Zelda’s bright smile vanished, her eyes becoming somber.

‘She… Passed away two years ago’, she looked down, sipping her cup.

‘I'm sorry, Zelda’, he held her free hand, ‘that's terrible’.

‘I'm better now’, she left her cup and smiled at his empathic gesture. ‘My dad and Agitha had it harder though. She had a hard time processing everything, and isolated herself from the world for a while, and he had to keep working despite his heartbreak and despair at Agitha’s reaction. I started helping him out with the business because of that’.

‘You're amazing’, he affirmed, holding her hand a little more. ‘Goddesses know I'd be still mourning her. My mama is so important to me’.

He let go of her hand gently, and picked his phone, showing Zelda a selfie, four people in it.

‘My dad, mama, and my lil bro, Colin’.

Zelda observed a tiny detail in the picture, and realized herself something.

 

_He is the only one with Hylian ears. Link’s adopted._

 

‘You have a lovely family, Link’, she smiled. ‘You have the best pet ever too’, she chuckled, ‘I only wanted to have a horse as a child’.

‘Epona is a big part of our family, and the farm, of course. My peeps grow organic stuff’.

‘That’s actually cool!’, she gasped, ‘Do they sell locally or more -’, Zelda’s ringtone cut her question.

‘Sorry dear, gotta pick this’, she apologized,and rushed to answer. ‘Hi Dad, everything fine? Oh, you’re still with Auru at the meeting with those planners… I’ll go pick Agitha from school then. See ya’.

She sighed deeply, then her eyes settled on him.

‘I'm sorry, things that happen when you still live with your family’, she sighed. ‘I don't have the heart to leave them on their own’.

‘That's so sweet of you… You’re a good girl’.

 

His heart almost melted when he saw her give him a tender, bashful smile, all blushed.

 

‘I adore them...we only have each other’, her cheeks went a shade rosier.

 

They remained for a moment in silence, Link entranced by how lovable she actually was, and how she differed from the sensuous maven he had met before.

 

‘I… have to go’, she sighed, getting up and gathering her belongings. ‘Too bad. I enjoyed this’.

‘Same’, he nodded, a proposal trapped inside his head: _I wonder if I could see you again._

Then, she gave him a quick hug.

‘I have patients on Mondays and Wednesdays all day, and oversee The Castle on Thursdays and sometimes Fridays...The rest I spend it mostly at home’, she whispered, kissing softly his cheek. ‘See you soon, Link’.

‘See ya’, he murmured, begging Hylia to not to turn into a burning ember yet, waving goodbye at her as she left.

 

Minutes after he lost her from sight, Link still processing all that happened while drinking the last half of his warm drink, a beeping noise startled him.

 

It was her.

 

**You can text me too. I answer these ones fast, and don’t mind the hour.**

**Expect messages and cat videos at odd hours from me. xoxo**

 

Link grinned as if he had hit the jackpot.

And his phone rang again, an incoming call from a familiar face.

 

_Shad? Superb timing, man._

 

‘Buddy, what's up?’

‘Fine and dandy, old sport’, the editor chimed. ‘We need to talk’.

‘Same, man. You first’.

‘I've got to take Linus Wolfhardt to a release party’.

‘What?’, the previous sentence bursting the bubble of the ideal moment he just had been in, feeling the onset of a headache coming in.

‘Dude, why do you do this if you know how I am?’, Link rubbed his forehead, already tensing.

‘Sport, cooperate with me please, it’s an order from above and neither of us can refuse it’, Shad begged. ‘It’s on your contract’.

‘I know, but part of the charm of Linus Wolfhardt is that he is a freaking shut-in and nobody knows his face’, Link complained, trying to keep his volume down. ‘Not a party animal’.

‘I _know_ sport, that's why I _negotiated_ with them, and you're going _unannounced_ to this party, later on the press release we will tell you were there’, Shad reassured him on the other side of the line. ‘Most importantly, you should know where it is, because it’s on your interest’.

 

He was a little more relieved after knowing the conditions, and sighed in resignation.

 

‘Where?’, Link drank the last sip of his now lukewarm chocolate.

‘The Castle, old sport’, he laughed. ‘I bet you’ll be delighted to see _Princess_ again’.

His heart shook inside his chest at the mention of her.

‘Sign me the fuck up’.

‘Dang, sport, she really made an impression on you!’, the editor laughed. ‘I could give you her contact if you are that interested…’

‘We just met for coffee’, he blurted, not even thinking about his words. ‘I need you to tell me everything you know about her later’.

‘Well, that’s a surprise, coming from you…. I will, old sport. Go buy a nice suit, by the way’, Shad informed him.

‘Why?’, Link was curious at his request.

‘The party is for the _Hundred Shadows of Gray_ series’ latest book. Got to go, cheerio sport!’, his friend told him before hanging on him.

‘Goddesses, not that!’, he groaned.

 

_That book stinks more than goat dung. But, at least I have an excuse to-_

 

A notification beep.

 

**TELL ME YOU HATE THAT BOOK.**

**I KNOW YOU’RE COMING TO THAT PARTY.**

**SHAD AND YOUR ALIAS ARE ON THE GUEST LIST, DAD JUST TOLD ME.**

 

Zelda.

 

Link started laughing at the sudden message.

 

**With the fire of a thousand suns, so don't get me started** , he answered.

**Good. We're hating it together next Friday. I might teach you how BDSM actually works, it might be interesting ;)**

 

A gasp left his throat at her message, his head already running wild, the thoughts of her slender arms clad in long, black satin gloves caressing his neck -and nothing else- invading his imagination.

Link returned to his apartment, the images still vivid, almost making him feel in a lucid dream, and instead of taking charge of his fantasizing, he channeled his libido in the best way he knew.

He opened the document he had started writing the night he met her, and started writing.

 

_I met Playgirl today in real life._

 

_She is a creature made of sunshine, wildflowers, and cherry blossoms, even when she belongs to the night..._


	3. Linus and Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link attends the dreaded party, but a certain hostess makes it less of a drag.

Link, in a dark grey suit, with black shirt and tie, no earrings, hair slicked back enough to make him look presentable and slightly unrecognizable from his messy, casual daily self, stood beside a cardboard cutout in the shape of the book series’ logo, grumbling a little at the tacky ambientation, and his editor - also mastermind behind his current stylish, polished appearance - leaving him alone because he was chasing after the raven-haired hostess he liked, while greeting some other editors and acquaintances.

His initial disgust at all the black leather, whips, blindfolds, and handcuffs used as decorations vanished when he saw a vision in a pale pink corset embroidered with crystals and beads, a feathered short skirt, white elbow-length gloves, nude fishnets and matching shoes; hair in finger waves, makeup as rosy and luminous as her outfit, except for her lips, dressed in a velvety, matte crimson red.

 

She looked like a sparkling diamond with an iridescent aura in a sea of black and grey.

And he knew behind those fabulous, glamorous garments, hid an amazing young woman with a kind heart and sharp wit.

 

‘My tastes are quite unusual, Mr. Graham’, she said jokingly, mocking a popular line of the book. ‘Would you like to go to the lounge with me?’

 

‘Sure thang’, he grinned, following her to the more secluded area. Once there, Zelda went to the bar and in a moment appeared with two flute glasses.

 

‘Dad is doing this for the money, but refused to rent the Vip for the event to avoid people trying to _“recreate some scenes”_ here’, she cleared, handing him a glass, ‘cheers, Mr. Wolfhardt. You look dashing tonight’.

 

He looked at her, a little self-conscious about his alcohol resistance -also about her compliment- while toasted with Zelda silently, and drank a diminute sip.

It was ginger ale.

 

‘You should know two things about me’, Zelda winked.

 

‘Besides you sending this strugglin’ artist cat videos, memes, and messages at 1 a.m.?’

 

‘Sorry not sorry, you are always awake, sometimes with a little of writer's block, and they always make you laugh’, she giggled, then serious. ‘I don't force people to do things they dislike, like forcing you into drinking booze, and I don't drink at work’.

 

Link smiled fondly. _You are an angel, truly._

 

Both took a seat at the couch, trying to lay low.

 

‘Dad won't complain about us hiding here, I told him I was “escorting Mr. Wolfhardt”’, she giggled. ‘He wants to get your autograph though’.

 

‘I'd be happy to do it, your dad seems nice for what you’ve told me’.

 

‘He is a fine chap, but Mr. Wolfhardt, fulfill your promise and let's hate on the book’, she changed subject. ‘Give me three reasons, I'll give you three more’.

 

‘The metaphors are darn awful’, Link pointed out, ‘what the heck is with this dude comparing skin color to food all the darn time?! _“Her skin is like white chocolate_ ”, are you serious?!’

 

‘Reasonable indeed’, Zelda sipped her drink, playing with the fake feathers of her skirt. ‘Second one’.

 

‘Sex scenes are devoid of feeling’.

 

‘Says the local virgin’, she snorted, giving him the side eye.

 

‘Miss Princess, you’re the Princess of sick burns!’, Link laughed, covering his face. ‘But even as a virgin, they don't make me _feel_ anything except cringing. It's not arousing, unlike reading some of the sex scenes of other erotica books, like _Lady Chatterley’s Lover_ , for instance… have you read it?’.

 

‘No, sadly’, she shrugged.

 

‘I won’t give you spoilers, but there are really intense and emotional scenes, although the sex ain’t super graphic’.

 

‘I know what you mean. There is such a huge difference between ‘insert-this-on-that’ writing, and a situation narrated richly, more focused on feelings and sensations’.

 

‘See? Ya get better than anyone the difference’, he affirmed. ‘The third one is that characters are bland, monotone, and so friggin’ stereotyped, their dialogue is super stiff and unnatural!!!’

 

‘True. “ _Omigod Mr. Gray, please fuck my dirty pussy_ ”, that makes me want to throw up’, Zelda mocked the dialogue, fluttering her lashes, her voice hoarse and overacted.

 

_You make that horrid line sound **actually** sexy. _

 

‘Now, gimme yer reasons’.

 

‘First, that's a toxic relationship from the start’, her tone was dead serious. ‘That guy starts stalking the girl until he gets a date with her, then, once they're in a relationship, he starts alienating her, and when she runs away from him, he says she has to obey him, because he... _owns_ her? That’s a textbook case of psychological abuse’.

 

‘He always says he does that crap ‘cause he loves her, bullshit’.

 

‘That's not love, that's emotional abuse that leads to physical violence disguised as a kink’, she declared sharply. ‘Healthy relationships aren't like that’.

 

Link nodded, agreeing with her.

 

‘Last, but not least, that book gives BDSM a bad name’, she huffed. ‘If done properly, it is a very stimulating way to practice sex, with interesting dynamics, and thrilling experiences!’.

 

Link looked at her in silence. His interest on the subject was more than piqued when his inner voice muttered a ‘ _Mistress Zelda’_ on his head.

 

_Don’t imagine her in thigh-high stiletto boots. Or her blindfolding me. Or her telling me to submit to her commands._

 

‘The dominant has to respect always the submissive’s wishes, and not do anything they haven't allowed or use more force than permitted’, she explained him. ‘Failing at that, or not caring after your submissive is not how BDSM works’.

 

‘I can figure it’s more than whips and chains’, Link affirmed, glancing at the crowd from the corner of his eye.

 

‘It is’, she confirmed, ‘But people forget about the key elements of it, and only focus on power play and all the paraphernalia’.

 

‘What are those?’, his eyes turned to her.

 

Zelda closed the distance between them, her face inches away from his.

 

‘Trust, respect, reciprocity’, she smiled.

 

‘Aren’t those valid in any relationship?’

 

‘Absolutely’, an unreadable expression on her eyes.

 

Silence. Even the noise of the first floor vanished.

 

‘D-do you trust me?’, he stammered, daring to jump into unknown territory.

 

‘I trust _Link_ , not Linus’, Zelda whispered, ruffling his hair, her eyes never breaking contact with his. ‘Linus is just a stiff, elaborate, and unnecessary facade for a wonderful, shy man I’d love to get to know better’.

 

And, in that moment, he could swear his heart skipped a beat, his mind went blank, and his body froze, mesmerized by her.

 

The sound of steps startled him, making him return to his senses, quickly sitting farther.

A tall man with gray hair and beard in a navy suit emerged from the stairs. He recognized him from the picture Zelda had showed him when they met at the coffee shop.

 

‘Princess! I was looking for you!’, he called her.

 

‘Dad!’, Zelda got up, ‘I told you I was going to hide here with Mr. Wolfhardt’, she pointed at the couch, Link a little stiff, still bewildered.

 

‘I know it’s not his real name, sweetie’, he laughed. ‘Nice to meet you, young man, I’m Daphnes King’.

 

_DAMMIT IT’S HER POP, GET UP AND SHOW SOME MANNERS, YOU DUMBASS._

 

Link almost jumped from his seat and greeted Mr. King with a handshake.

 

‘How do ya do, sir’, he said without stammering, yet in a soft tone, ‘Link Graham’s the real name, I had to overcompensate with my pen name’.

 

‘And a nice one indeed is!’, Mr. King assured him. ‘Your alias is after the name of the main character of some really old Noir novels my Maeve loved, isn’t it? I still have those at home!’

 

‘Yes! _“The Hero’s Shade”_ series!’, Link nodded. ‘Those are rare to find! The copies I owned were my gramps’, and I lost them in a move’.

 

‘Well, you’re most welcome to visit us and borrow them’, Mr. King patted Link’s back softly, winking at his daughter, who looked at her father with hooded eyes. ‘See you later!’

 

Daphnes rushed downstairs, leaving her daughter only in the company of her guest again.

 

‘Silly dad… he was so thrilled to meet you’, she grinned. ‘He thinks writers with a pseudonym are a rarity, a sort of souvenir from an old age’.

 

‘He ain't wrong, it is rare nowadays’, Link assured her. ‘Where can I leave the autograph for him?’

 

‘Follow me’, Zelda unlocked a door next to the bar, ‘But you should come to our house sometime, he clearly wants to meet you, dad just hates being overbearing’.

 

The door opened, revealing an office taken from another time: a red velvet lined chaise-longue, a large, sturdy mahogany desk, filled with some documents and a still lit Tiffany lamp, accompanied by a leather armchair, two chairs to the front, some shelves with files neatly ordered, and the walls covered with framed pictures from black and white to color, all topped with a small chandelier lamp on the ceiling.

 

‘The Manager’s Office, Mr. Wolfhardt. Come in’.

 

Link swooned at the elegant, rich, exquisite decor, so well preserved, his eyes saving every detail of it on his head, along how the dim light made Zelda look like the beautiful, mysterious heroine of the novels he just had talked about, a witty, resourceful showgirl of fair skin and dark hair.

 

_She's just like Miss Fitzgerald, all glitz and glamour._

 

‘Here's the guest book’, Zelda opened a leather-bound volume, and handed him a pen. ‘Check it out before you write down your memento’, she winked at him.

 

His eyes wandered over the yellowed pages, filled with dedications from several -famous and not- guests from years past; words of gratefulness for a good time or just friendly banter.

 

‘I feel like such an intruder for writin’ here’, Link commented her, eyes set on the signature and dedicated words of one of his favorite writers, ‘just some amateur mixed in with them big shots!’

 

‘You don’t know how big you are until you see it with your own eyes’, Zelda assured him, sitting on the desk, legs crossed. ‘Being lonely, reclusive, and elusive doesn’t allow you to see the big picture, Mr. Wolfhardt. You should do like Mr. Graham, who took all the courage he had and called a complete stranger he had met, unexpectedly becoming friends with her, and ditch the charade’.

 

‘ _Linus_ and Link are the same person, Zelda’, he affirmed, while writing some nice words . ‘Two sides of the same coin, just as _Princess_ is to Zelda’.

 

‘Maybe… but I think you hide something from me’, she sighed.

 

His writing halted.

 

_I do. I write about you every day - you’re the star of my story. And do other things I prefer not to tell ya yet. You probably won’t get mad at this horndog for rubbing more than one out thinking about you. My imagination takes the best and worst of me._

_But I don't want you to hate me for the former. You already trust me._

 

‘I do have a secret, but I want you to know it.’, he affirmed, finishing the sentence and stamping his signature in the guestbook.

 

Link took out his phone and tapped the screen quickly, handing his phone to her.

 

‘Read this, please’.

 

Zelda looked at the phone, and pinching the tip of a gloved finger with her teeth, she slid it off her right arm, the simple gesture leaving his throat dry.

After receiving the device, she glided her fingers up and down the touchscreen while she read in silence the text document he had opened for her.

 

He walked some steps away from her, and took a seat on the chaise longue, eyes never leaving her.

 

When she was done, a sigh left her lips.

 

‘Have you showed this to anyone?’, she murmured.

 

‘You're the first to read it. The bit I showed Shad, the head editor, and the publishing director was the onset and the intro to this’.

 

A soft hum was her acknowledgement, legs swaying a little as she pondered something.

 

‘Are you mad? I understand if ya are… I can delete everything if you wanna’, Link asked, avoiding to look at her, cheeks aflame.

 

‘I'm not’, she smiled, getting up and walking towards him slowly, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. ‘It's just that I have never been anyone's source of inspiration’.

 

‘Dontcha underestimate yourself’, his eyes meeting hers. ‘You are very inspiring’.

 

‘Thank you’, she bent, and holding his face, kissed him softly.

 

His eyes widened at the contact, his mind going blank for a second.

 

‘Why… D-didya do that?’, he muttered, looking up to her standing before him, as his pulse went slowly to normal.

 

‘I wanted to’, she smiled, walking to the door. ‘I'd love to keep doing so, but not here’.

 

He stood, following her.

 

‘Can I kiss you back? - he held her still ungloved hand- ‘Just once’.

 

She hummed a chuckle. ‘Alright’.

 

Link didn't think it twice as he pinned her against the door, claiming her lips for him, bodies aflush and breathless.

 

Zelda looked at him with surprised eyes at his sudden, forward move, and looked down.

 

‘Did you stand on your tiptoes?’

 

‘Yup’.

 

She burst into laughs, Link joining her.

 

‘This is going to be fun’, Zelda stated.

 

‘What thang?’, his head tilted to the side.

 

‘You and I’.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zelda's outfit was inspired by the scene of Moulin Rouge in which Satine sings 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friends'.
> 
> I also made some winks at the game.
> 
> I have a Spotify playlist for this series, here's the link if you wanna listen to the music I write to: 
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/user/gcmioridellarosa/playlist/4qYhUbfBwidQNJhomvVtD3?si=xQGq5A_CSESrS2QaDYMNxg


	4. Interlude (Playgirl)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda thinks about what she read before, and asks her father for... Advice?

_Every night Playgirl struts her towering height through the crowded salon of the club in her six-inch stilettos, dressed in a black satin bodice and asymmetric skirt, with rhinestones embroidered all over it; the outfit only enhancing the sinuous curves of her body. She whips her curled golden brown mane with one gloved hand._

_Hardly anyone is unimpressed by her entrance: it is impossible not to look when a goddess incarnate is walking among us, mere mortals, who are graced by her heavenly presence._

_The lights reflect on her dress, turning her into a sparkling diamond, a dazzling smile gracing her lips, which widens when her heavily eyelined eyes meet mine._

 

_‘Wolfie!’, she greets me, imprinting a kiss on my cheek. ‘I didn’t know you would be here! I’m so happy you came to visit me!’_

_‘Yeah, it was a whim of the moment’, I blushed as her hand caressed my cheek. ‘I wanted to talk to you’._

  


_She takes me by the hand to the safety of the private booth, her magenta and red-lit, mirror lined sanctum._

 

_‘What is what you’d like to tell me, darling Wolfie?’, Playgirl sits on the round platform on the center, legs crossed. ‘You seem restless’._

 

_I sit on the round couch in front of her, rigid and nervous._

 

_‘I have given it a lot of thought to what we have been talking in and outta here… you know, about how I haven’t lived enough, ‘cause I come from the countryside and all’._

_‘Of course you haven’t lived enough, you are just nineteen’, she laughed, looking at me tenderly. ‘You are a baby!’_

_‘But I wanna’, I reassure her. ‘I wanna live, have experiences… you can show me the way’._

_‘How so, Wolfie?’, she asked, knowing already the answer._

 

_I stood, and placed my hands on her sides._

 

_‘I want you’._

 

_She held my gaze, scrutinizing the intent in my face._

 

_‘I want you to take me in any way you wanna’, I reassured her._

_‘That’s very broad, Wolfie’, she whispered in my ear, ‘You might end up badly, a slave to my desires’._

_‘That’s up to me to decide, missy’. As if I weren't already._

 

_And, with a blend of bravery, recklessness, and a pinch of foolishness, I grabbed her thighs and dragged her to have her body flush to mine, breathing the same air for a second, and I kissed her._

_I claimed her lips for me, her opposition null; on the contrary, she allowed my hungry mouth to devour hers, even kissing me back in the end._

 

_‘Aren't we cheeky tonight, are we, Wolfie?’, she enquired with a smirk. ‘I could have you kicked out of here for breaking the rules’._

_‘You could, but you didn't, ‘cause you liked it too’._

_‘How can you be so sure?’_

_‘There's one part of ya that never lies’._

_‘Which one?’_

_‘Your eyes’._

_‘How so?’, she asked coyly. ‘That's just an assumption, I get paid for you to think that way’._

_‘It turns you on to say that, dontcha?’, I took a couple of steps backwards. ‘To have people at your feet with that little game o’ yours. It won't work with me, I might be young, but I'm not dumb. I know better’._

_‘You are so handsome when you get riled up’, she laid back a little. ‘Shows the fire in you’._

_‘Don't tease me, Zara, I'm not playing around’._

 

_Playgirl changed her demeanor when I called her by her real name._

 

_‘I know you aren't, Wolfie’, her eyes were less steely, and her voice free from her falsely sugary tones, ‘I didn’t mean to upset you, darling’._

 

_Oh gods, I can't be mad at her when I get a glimpse of her real self - she is soft, gentle, a woman whose heart has been beaten and hurt, yet she still remains tender and loving. There’s true strength of character in that._

 

_‘See you tomorrow then?’, I ask her._

_‘Of course. Same place, noon’, she confirmed. ‘I wasn't lying about the compliment, though. You do look handsome when you get fired up. I can imagine you ravishing me. That is a turn-on for sure!’_

 

_I don't know what took over me, but I threw myself over her, and devoured her lips once more before leaving, pinning her against the platform, leaving the booth breathless, but with a triumphant smile on my face._

_For the first time ever, I had made the first move, and caught her off-guard._

 

_A small victory, but a victory indeed._

 

* * *

 

 

Zelda sighed deeply, getting back to reality after her moment of reverie.

 

_He did just like the protagonist. He caught me flying low, and bam! I end up making out against a door, as if I was sixteen and dumb again. But it’s better. He means well, and he is so sweet it hurts._

The scene, among some other things she had read -and felt, still lingered on Zelda’s mind.

_Is that how he perceived me at first?_ , she wondered. _Well, to be true, that’s how he saw “Princess”, not the actual me. I wonder if… after all… he will still like what lies beneath..._

 

‘Dad, I need to ask you something’, Zelda asked Mr. King while they were closing the cash register at the end of their working day.

'Go ahead' .

‘What would you do if someone had written things about you?’, she tapped on the calculator, adding the numbers of a pile of vouchers she had. ‘Or inspired by you’.

‘It depends if it’s good or bad’, he noted.

‘It’s good... _very good,_ actually’, she affirmed, focused on her task.

 

Mr. King looked at her silently, humming, knowing something was brewing between the young man he had met a couple of hours ago and his eldest daughter.

 

‘Why did they wrote about you?’, Mr. King was really curious. ‘Furthermore, why did they decide to show their work to you?’

‘They said I was _inspiring_ ’, she giggled. ‘And they showed the work to me as a proof of trust’.

‘Aww, that’s sweet!’, Mr. King noted, giving her daughter a nudge. ‘I’d take them on a date asap with those words!’

‘You know I don’t fall for lip service’, she asserted. ‘And look who’s talking, you should go ask Telma out, everybody knows you fancy her! Stop ogling her like a teenager, and make a move!’

‘You are just like your mom!’, Daphnes laughed. ‘She would say exactly something like that!’

‘Of course she would! It’s not as if Agitha and I would oppose, on the contrary!’, she ranted, ‘We don’t want to see you alone, it’s been two years already! You need to move on, and most importantly, you deserve to be happy, dad!’

‘Same goes to you, Princess Shrink’, he rebutted his daughter’s comment, now serious. ‘ _Mr. Wolfhardt_ seems to fancy you’.

‘Yes’, Zelda blushed, returning to the calculator.

‘He looks like a good boy’.

‘He is, good and pure’, she affirmed nonchalantly.

‘You… should invite him for lunch on Sunday’, Mr. King suggested, taking her daughter’s phone from the counter without her noticing, ‘If you are too shy… I can do it for you!’

 

Zelda gasped in indignation at her father’s childish attitude, and uselessly tried to take the phone away from him.

 

‘Ooh, he is your most frequent contact!!!’, he cooed, Zelda’s face burning red, and snatching the phone off his hands before he read their messages.

‘Alright’, she huffed. ‘You invite him, but you don’t mess with my mobile again!’

 

Zelda opened the messaging app, and pressed a microphone icon.

 

‘Let’s send him a video instead!’, Daphnes suggested enthused.

Zelda pressed the record button. ‘Oh gosh, dad, don’t’.

‘Hi Link! Wanna come for lunch on Sunday?’, Mr. King shouted to the phone mic.

‘Dad, don't be so loud! It’s two in the morning!’, Zelda chided him, more than embarrassed.

‘Oh, right. Whatever Zellie says. What do you say, a quarter to one? My princess will give you our address…’, -his face lit up after having an idea- ‘You should pick him from his home sweetie, use the car!’

‘Alright dad, I got this’, she stepped aside, to talk on her own. ‘Hi Link, I hope we didn’t wake you up or kill your writing flow. You heard the king. Let me know when you hear this if you are free or not. Bye!’

She sighed.

‘Are you satisfied?’, she asked, a tad grumpy.

‘Yeeeessss’, he hissed, all cheery.

  


Less than five minutes later, a notificaction made her cellphone buzz:

 

**Hi Zelda! Of course I’m free, I’d love to go and have lunch with yall! :D**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write a section of Link's fictional book, so here it is! I might interlace bigger sections like this one with the main story.
> 
> Always read these with Link and Zelda in mind.


	5. She's Thunderstorms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rainy Sunday, a family lunch, an unexpected turn of events.

A satisfied smile graced Zelda’s lips. She was naked, hair tousled and wavy sprawled on the pillow, lying on her side, uncovered, facing him. On his bed.

How had they come to this?

 

It all started on the rainy Sunday morning, one day after the party, Link still on the clouds after the kiss.

After they left the office, Zelda had to return to her management duties with her father, and Link had no motivation to stay any longer, especially after Shad’s text:

 

**_Sport, not coming home tonight. I’ll be at Ashei’s place._ **

 

_Guess I’m not the only lucky one today_ , Link said to himself with a little smile.

 

Since he couldn’t find Zelda, among the sea of guests, he sent her a message:

 

**I'm going home, Shad is going somewhere else. I wish I could say goodnight in person.**

 

**_I don’t mind. It was fun to spend some time with you, especially at the end. I liked you being so forward, twinkle toes. Sweet dreams ;)_ **

 

_Sweet dreams? Hell yeah they’ll be._

 

He left in a cab, all sighs, eyes wandering as Castletown’s neon lights lit the night, the dark skies starting to cloud up, the air becoming humid and electrified with static - it would surely start raining in a matter of hours.

Link got out of the cab a couple of blocks before his apartment, and walked down the empty street, hands in his pockets, looking up the stormy clouds making rivulets in the sky, filling his lungs with the fresh air, and smiling as he exhaled, coming to a conclusion:

 

_This is a perfect moment to write._

 

As soon as he entered the apartment, he brew some coffee, put on his pajamas, and sat on his desk, blinds and curtains open to look at the inspiring night, pouring the ideas on his head on the keyboard.

 

_I wished Playgirl’s crimson lipstick hadn’t been long-lasting. Kisses like hers are to be smeared, to be worn like a medal, a badge of honor of sorts._

_She didn’t expect me to take the initiative; her surprise was clear when I pinned her against the wall, and unlike what I expected -a slap of her silky glove on my face which I absolutely deserved for being a brazen, cocky son of a gun- she liked it, a smirk that shouted ‘yes, that’s what I wanted from you’. I could swear my legs weakened, ready to fall to my knees and submit my soul to all her whims._

_I am uncertain if we will -_

 

A chiming noise startled him, his heart almost leaving his chest.

A notification.

 

_Shad’s night went wrong?_ -he looked at his phone, still startled- _FUCK NO._

_ZELDA? A VOICE MESSAGE?_

He tapped the screen to play the note.

 

**_Oh gosh, dad, don’t._ **

**_Hi Link! Wanna come for lunch on Sunday?_ ** -Mr. King shouted.

**_Dad, don't be so loud! It’s two in the morning._ **

**_Oh, right. Whatever Zellie says. What do you say, a quarter to one? My princess will give you our address… You should pick him from his home sweetie, use the car!_ **

  ** _Alright dad, I got this. Hi Link, I hope we didn’t wake you up or kill your writing flow. You heard the king. Let me know when you hear this if you are free or not. Bye!_ **

 

_She sounds so awkward,_ he chuckled.

 

He answered immediately, and energized by the surprise, he kept typing until dawn.

  


‘Hello, sleepyhead’, a make-up free, hair in a loose braid Zelda, in jeans, a dusty pink pullover, trench coat and sneakers greeted Link, his face showing signs of drowsiness. ‘Did you pull an all-nighter again? I told you it’s bad for your health’.

‘Almost’, he grinned at her, zipping his dark moss green raincoat, ‘I slept eight solid hours, from two to ten’.

‘You should go to bed at more decent hours’, she scolded him. ‘Even if you are a night owl’.

‘I’ll try’, he kissed her cheek, Zelda answering with a peck on his lips. ‘Especially if ya convince me that way’.

‘Let’s go’, she grabbed his hand after he closed the door, and left the six-floor building on Castletown’s South Avenue.

 

Zelda’s family car was a vintage jewel, of the the shiniest sapphire blue, chrome details, and the seats of dark brown leather.

Link was astonished by it, standing in the rain, not believing he was getting on the passenger seat of such an amazing machine.

 

‘You should know I hate driving, but your face makes this worth it’, she laughed, putting on her seatbelt and starting the engine.

 

They cruised through the empty, rainy streets in silence, occasionally stealing glances and smiling timidly when their eyes met, arriving to the Old Castletown area, stopping in front of a three-storey house on a corner, that stood from the rest for a tower on the upper level, an old woman and a young lady in blonde pigtails -a face Link already recognized- watching from the window.

 

‘Nan and Agitha are already spying’, Zelda squinted through the windowpane after parking the car.

 

They entered through the garage door, the hostess guiding her guest through a hall.

 

Despite the almost gothic facade of the house, the decoration was a mix of modern and antique, its eclecticism catching Link’s eye immediately, just as the large framed photos of a woman of fair skin and shoulder length, wavy jet-black hair, in several ages of her life that were hung on a wall before the sitting room. Her features were so alike Zelda’s, it was no doubt to him who she was.

 

‘Your mama, I assume’. He pointed at one in which she wore a bunny costume, a dashing smile on her face.

‘Yes, also known as _Queen Maeve_ ’, she smiled fondly. ‘Pun intended, Agitha and I are Mr. King’s princesses, so mom of course was the Queen’, she giggled.

‘A royal fam of sorts, indeed!’, he commented with a grin.

‘There is nothing regal about us, believe me’, she shook her head. ‘Just look at my dad’.

 

When they arrived to the living room, they were received by Zelda’s father, her younger sister, the elderly lady who accompanied her, clad in neutral colored clothes and wearing her hair in a braided bun; a man around Mr. King’s age with glasses and white hair, a short pudgy lady with her hair on a turban, who wore lots of gold jewelry and bangles on her wrists, a tall thick woman in a lavender dress with brown skin and red hair with a motherly demeanor, and a gorgeous Zora lady whose coral scales glistened under the lights. Both sat next to a gamine man with long, wavy hair and a young lady with dark hair in a blunt bob and rosy cheeks who talked to a young Zora boy around her age.

 

‘You already know my dad’.

‘Hello, my boy!’, Daphnes jumped on Link, patting his back, ‘good to see you here! We were so excited, waiting for you to arrive!’

‘ _You_ were excited’, Zelda corrected him.

‘Hi, sir, hi everyone’, Link waved to the group.

‘This is my little sister Agitha, our grandma Impaz; uncle Auru, my dad’s best friend and The Castle’s accountant, auntie Fanadi, and Telma, who is the singer at the cabaret, and pretty much mine and Agitha’s second mom’, she introduced her relatives and family friends. ‘Last but not least, uncle Renado and his daughter Luda, and Auntie Rutela and Ralis, her son’.

 

The younger sister approached the guest, analyzing him in silence.

 

‘You brought quite the grasshopper, _Morpho Sulkowskyi_!’, Agitha pointed out Link’s green coat. ‘A very nice bug indeed! Tee hee!’

 

Link looked at Zelda puzzled.

 

‘Aggie is an insect enthusiast, she loves to know a lot about them, and she nicknames all of us after bugs and other critters’, Zelda removed her trench, gesturing Link to do the same and hand it to her.

Link nodded, taking of his coat. ‘It’s really cute, what’s yer moniker’s meaning?’

‘I’m a sort of mother-of-pearl butterfly, they are some rare species that have pastel-colored, iridescent wings’.

‘Suits ya perfectly’.

 

_Unique as you are._

 

Mr. King called his guests to the table, and served an abundant, hearty lunch of roasted meat with vegetables and gravy, accompanied with wine for the grown-ups and lemonade for the children and Link, and plenty of conversation.

 

‘Ashei also comes on Sundays here, we’re besties’, Zelda whispered to her neighbor, drinking some of her wine. ‘But she seems to be _distracted_ since early Saturday with your roommate. She brought him here the Sunday before we met’.

‘Shad came back yesterday afternoon smiling like a dork, picked some things, and told me he’d be back probs tonight’.

‘Good luck with that’, she giggled. ‘He won’t be coming back anytime soon, Ash is _wild_ ’.

‘Thanks for the mental image’, he nudged her with his elbow, sipping some of his remaining lemonade.

‘Just a little payback for the other night’s you-now-what’.

 

Link’s heart skipped a beat, trying to remain calm for the rest of the lunch, entertaining himself with the King’s friends, who were all amicable and agreeable; despite his shyness and stranger status, made him feel at ease and welcomed: Impaz had a wicked sense of humor despite her adorable granny appearance, Telma was truly the closest thing to an Ordonian he had met in the city in terms of personality -she was Gerudo through and through-, so gentle and kind, Agitha, Luda, and Ralis were sweet and easy going, all in their own different ways -the former as sharp as her elder sister, concealed by her delicate manners and looks, the latter ones naive and airy; gentle and soft-spoken. Rutela, Renado and Auru put the dose of sense against Mr. King’s loud, extroverted and hilarious ways, or auntie Fanadi’s mystic banter.

He felt Zelda had gifted not only a glimpse into her intimacy and family, but also had made him feel at home, away from home.

 

As the rain became more intense, the guests started leaving, and so Link.

 

‘Let me take you home, it’s wetter than Zora’s Domain outside’, Zelda offered, him accepting immediately.

 

Zelda drove carefully, as thunder roared and lighting lit the streets in flashes.

 

As they arrived to their destination, they saw all the lights on the streets and apartments go out.

 

‘A blackout?’, Zelda huffed, ‘Bummer’.

‘You better stay with Shad and I until it’s safe’.

 

_Correct wording: stay with me. Let’s make out and cuddle on my bed if we're lucky._

 

‘Sure’, she nodded, checking her phone. ‘Dad just told me the blackout is in the whole city’.

 

They rushed upstairs, soaked despite the little time they spent outside between leaving the car and entering the building. After going six floors up, they hung their wet coats, Link calling out for his friend. He still hadn’t arrived.

 

‘I told you’, Zelda giggled. ‘Shad’s doing the walk of shame tomorrow’.

‘More like a _marathon_ of shame’, he corrected, both bursting into laughs. ‘Want some tea or hot cocoa? We’re lucky we have a gas stove’.

‘Sure’, she smiled. ‘Just tea, please’.

 

Link gathered two mugs, filled the kettle, and put it to boil, taking the time to light a couple of candles, and bring a towel for Zelda to dry her dampened hair, which improved after she undid her braid and toweled it quickly, while Link observed her, serving the beverages, both sipping their mugs at the kitchen table, with the raging storm outside as background music.

 

‘I liked your peeps’, Link broke the quiet. ‘They are fun’.

‘I knew you would get along with them! It was my token of trust, after what you did at the party’, Zelda smiled in the tenue light. ‘Playgirl is a very interesting character, even if she is somewhere between a manic pixie and a femme fatale so far’.

‘I promise she’ll be more than just that’, he laughed, blowing his tea to cool it a little, wafts of steam surrounding him.

‘I promise you what happened at the party will be more than just a kiss’, she paraphrased him, putting her cup down on the table, getting up to kiss him.

 

Her hot, humid parted lips made contact with his, a completely different feeling from before: less chaste and playful, more wanting.

Link held her waist, lowering her onto his lap, as her tongue made her way into his mouth, a groan on his throat and a pulsion in his groin, which made him reciprocate the kiss just like hers: hungry, possessive, needy.

His arms held her against him, to feel her warmth; her hands raked through his hair and nape, Link becoming a shivering mess.

 

‘Do whatever you want to me’, he sighed surrendering, eyes fixed on hers, desire starting to take over his body.

‘That's a bit broad’, she observed, placing a kiss on his jaw, ‘let's go to your room first’.

 

He got up and held her by the hand, leading her to the end of the hall, opening the door.

Link's room was fairly large, enough to fit a long desk, which was filled with books, notes, photos, a desk calendar, and his portable computer. The decor was simple, the white walls only holding a couple of photos framed, the queen-size bed with a cream and grey print duvet, two matching pillows, and a nightstand. The bathroom was in suite, its door next to the closet. The broad window lit dimly the room, its curtains and blinds open, leaving the city skyline in full view.

 

‘Nice place’, she walked towards the window. ‘Good thing you have a great view and not another building’. 

‘I like to have it at night to inspire me’, he held her softly by the neck, kissing her, ‘but adding you in this helluva storm makes this so much better’.

‘Even if my hair is frizzy and my clothes are kind of damp?’ 

‘Do ya want a sweatshirt or something cozy and dry?!’, he asked with wide eyes.

‘No’, she took a step away, taking off her pullover and throwing it away, ending in a thin strap top, no bra underneath. ‘I want _you_ ’.

 

Link's heart started pumping fast.

 

_Oh Goddesses, this is it. I'm getting laid with the most gorgeous woman I've ever known. Gotta go for it, even if I wasn’t expecting this._

_I honestly thought this was going to be PG-rated._

 

He took off his dark gray sweatshirt and t-shirt at once and dropped them on the floor, following her.

Zelda’s eyebrows raised at his broad back and tan, naturally muscular body.

 

‘Oh fuck, are you serious?’, her shoulders dropped, covering her mouth blinking in disbelief.  

‘It’s just a life of hard work in the countryside, missy, I got up every morning at five ‘till I moved here’, he kicked off his shoes and socks and stood there, for the first time clearly impressing someone physically and enjoying Zelda’s flustered, blushing face.

 

She huffed, as she retaliated, taking off her sneakers, jeans and top, a smirk gracing her lips at his face of absolute astonishment - and his groin.

 

_Owned. All of you owns me. I wanna kiss ya everywhere. I wanna cum all over you. I want you moaning my name._

 

‘Take off your jeans and come to the bed’, Zelda sat against the pillows.

 

He followed her orders, sitting in front of her, admiring in close detail her curvy hips, the beautiful contrast between her fair skin and dark hair; how the latter almost veiled the perk and roundness of her breasts.

She took his face on her hands, and kissed him softly, acknowledging his nervousness.

 

‘I’m on BC and all clear, so it’s safe, just in case you want to know’, she whispered. ‘I have some condoms if-’

‘It’s good, it’s perfect’, he looked at her adoringly.

 

Zelda took his hands, and guided them over her body, making a trail: neck, shoulders, chest, breasts, nipples which got erect at the touch of his rough palms, waist, back, that ended cupping her rear, then resting on her plump thighs.

She mirrored the actions on his body, caressing his chest, shoulders, back, belly - making her best to not make him self-conscious while stroking his abs-, stopping before the bulge on his shorts, just grazing the hardness under the thin cotton fabric, Link hissing at her gesture.

Her breasts rubbed against his chest as she came close, embracing him, a groan coming from his lips.

 

‘I want you to touch me’, she hushed, the room suddenly lit up by the lightning on the distance. ‘I want you to know how wet you have made me’.

 

His jaw dropped at her words. _You wanna make me cum in my shorts, dontcha?_

 

She removed her simple cotton panties, spreading slowly her legs for him to see her fully, Link coming close, letting her guide his fingers inside her, the warmth and moistness of her awakening a sense of urgency inside him, his manhood pulsing, wanting, _needing_ of release, a primal feeling no one had aroused in him. He took off his shorts, exposing his erection to her; Zelda’s heart raced at the thrill of finally seeing him fully bare, taking his length and girth in her hands, stroking him carefully before helping him take his position over her, to allow him take control.

 

‘Ready when you’re ready’, Zelda whispered, kissing him softly, almost lying on her back, supported on her elbows and forearms.

 

Link nodded, placing himself at her opening, penetrating her slowly, fighting the trembling of his body as her folds enveloped him. Zelda was all delighted sighs, back arched, eyes rolled, overwhelmed by pleasure once he was completely inside her.

A kiss on her neck took her back, Link embracing her as he timidly began thrusting.

 

‘You can be rougher if you want’, she offered, wrapping her arms around him. ‘I would appreciate it’.

‘Of course’, he panted. ‘I want you to feel good too’, and began to progressively move faster, observing her reactions, rolling his hips until he found a firm, steady pace both enjoyed, allowing caresses and kisses between them.

 

The pleasurable sensations they gave each other heightened in the darkness, the varying, occasional flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder had their excitement higher.

Zelda had quickly reached the heights of pleasure prior to orgasm, shown by her increasing moans and encouraging _‘yes, yes so good, it feels great, do me like that’_ to her partner and slid her hand down herself, rubbing her clit, swollen and aroused.

Link did not understand wholly why she was teasing him with such image until an _‘I'm coming’,_ accompanied by her tightening around his length, humid, hot, pulsing, and trembling, beckoned him to thrust more, faster, no matter what; her pleasured, ecstatic moans and sighs mixed with his groans and grunts as he trembled, his body giving away, his orgasm taking over him, spilling himself inside her.

After some final, weaker thrusts, his shivering body collapsed on top of her, Zelda holding him tight, stroking his hair.

 

‘Are you alright?’, Zelda asked softly, breaking the silence between them.

 

He just nodded and sighed; his heartbeat thumped still in his earl

 

‘I’m glad’, she smiled sweetly.

 

As he regained some strength, he pulled out of her, and laid on his side, Zelda mimicking his posture.

He observed her attentively, his eyes wandering over her shapes, trying to realize what just happened wasn't a wild dream or product of his imagination.

 

_I kissed those lips. I touched her everywhere, her skin, those perfect breasts, her thighs, her wetness -_ **_I_ ** _made her wet, for fuck’s sake!  I heard her sigh my name as she came undone beneath me and she took me with her_.

 

‘It was good’, she smiled, getting up, ‘you did great’.

 

Link felt a blush creeping up his face, never taking his eyes off her, as she opened the window a little, the humid breeze entering the room and blowing softly her hair and giving her skin goosebumps, Zelda inhaling deeply, lightning striking and thunder booming.

 

‘I love evenings like this’, she turned her head as she looked at him, giving him a wide, blissful smile.

 

He had never seen her so beautiful, and restrained himself from blurting the first words that came to his mind:

 

_And I, love you..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title comes from an Arctic Monkeys song, and because the mood of the chapter implies that.
> 
> I kept Agitha weird because she's perfect just as she is. The Morpho genus of butterflies has AMAZING specimens. Morpho Sulkowskyi is found in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, and they are beautiful.


	6. I Fall In Love Too Easily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link has a sudden realization about his relationship with Zelda.

Link, in the serene loneliness of the apartment since Shad wasn't home, looked at the screen of his computer, a blank page of the word processor, then at his calendar: 26th day of the eleventh month, Friday. The screensaver of his mobile read 1.56 a.m.

Tiny x’s marked -in some days more than one- the past days except for a couple, since the last Sunday of the tenth month.

 

_ Conclusion: in average, I’ve had sex with Zelda every single day since that day. _

_ EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  _

_ I’m overcompensating for my sad teenage years. _

 

He closed his eyes, reminiscing what happened in over three weeks.

 

_ I tried to convince her to stay with me after the first night. She refused, but I understood, she had work the next day, after all. I forced her to put on one of my sweatshirts though, her pullover was still damp. She still hasn’t given it back though -not that I mind. _

_ I started writing like a madman on a notebook, with a flashlight to light up the room, until I got a message from her, telling me she got home safe. She asked me if I was going to be there before 10 a.m., and without thinking too much, I answered ‘of course, I work from home every day unless I got a meeting!' _

_ I went to bed around midnight, after the power came back. I was so tired I didn’t notice when Shad had returned. _

_ And I was woken up at 8 sharp by the doorbell. There she was, all smiles, in a trenchcoat and sweats, a tote bag on her shoulder. _

 

_ ‘Fuck me’, I blurted, still kinda asleep, shocked to see her.  _

_ ‘Happy to oblige, dear’, she grinned. _

_ ‘Why are you here?’, I asked her, letting her in.  _

_ ‘I'm having **you** for breakfast’.  _

 

_ She rode me like she was a freaking rodeo queen, and I enjoyed every second of it.  _

_ Not a big surprise, she’s shown she’s hardly tame and passive in bed, which makes my blood boil for her. Then she made me breakfast -eggs and bacon that tasted like glory- in panties and one of my t-shirts. I’ve realized I’m weak for that shit.  _

_ She left all prim and proper -she had brought a change from home- after showering with me - not before going at it for a second time in there.  _

_ Her combination of sweetheart and bombshell is something my heart -and my dick- can’t handle. _

 

_ And it’s been like this almost ev’ry day. She never comes on Thursdays -it’s the opening day of The Castle, after all - or Fridays. But those nights… oh those nights . I just get a call in the dead of night, her voice hushed, telling me ‘What would you do to me if I were there?’, and the wet sound of her fingers working herself up. The first time I almost came just by listening to her. _

_ She didn't know that my imagination is my best worst friend. And I hadn't found out my way with words is not only written. _

 

_ Saturday nights and Sundays are glorious, the cherry on top. She stays overnight ‘cause my buddy stays at Ashei’s.  _

_ We talk a lot: music, movies, books, her job. She reads my stuff too -her comments are always useful, she has a darn keen eye and her expertise as therapist works wonders when writing interesting characters. She also loves to “proofread” after reading the sex scenes.  _

_ ‘Verisimilitude is extremely important in fiction!’, she says ironically.  _

_ And we end up doing it in the shower. Or on the desk. On the couch. Against the wall. Whatever works. I'm not picky.  _

_ I love sleeping with her after that. It sorta makes it real. _

 

_ And then we go to have lunch with her peeps. Oh gods, they’re awesome. I gotta give back Daphnes the first book of Hero’s Shade. _

 

_ Maybe I should plan a meeting with my folks after I take Zelda to Ordon. I still haven’t told my fam I am.... Getting to know her? Dating her? On an actual boyfriend-girlfriend thing?  _

 

Link got overwhelmed at his late night epiphany.

 

_ Omigod. Omigod. Omigod. Dammit, I have no idea what the heck are we! _

_ Is she my girlfriend? Lover? Fuck buddy?  _

_ She told me she believed in meaningful relationships… Am I actually meaningful to her?!  _

 

He looked at the hour. 2.20 a.m.

 

_ The Castle is already closed.  _

  
  


On the other side of the city, a phone buzzed. Its owner, a woman in a long black dress with a bodice with a bow and a leg slit, stilettos and hair in soft waves, parted to the side, looked at it. 

 

**Hey, I hope ur doing well. I was wondering if we could talk later about something that's just ticking me off about you and I.**

 

Zelda’s brow furrowed in concern at the message. 

 

**See you, I'll go as soon as I can. Wait for me. xoxo**

 

‘Dad, can you drop me by at Link's after we're done?’, she asked her father, both closing the register at the cabaret. ‘He wants to talk about something that seems important, and better do it now than let it sit’.

 

‘Hmmm… something  _ important, _ in the middle of the night?’, Mr. King grinned, ‘cheeky boy! I knew he had it in him!’

‘What happened, uncle?’, Ashei came in, handing him some vouchers. 

‘Zellie got a  _ booty call _ !’, he sounded extremely excited, as if his daughter had earned an award. ‘From my boy Link!’

 

The raven-haired young woman burst into laughs. 

 

‘No way, dude’, she denied, looking at her embarrassed friend. ‘He is made of the same material as Shad,  _ dweebidium _ ’. 

‘See dad? Everybody knows he is not like that’, she glared at him. 

‘OK, don't be grumpy! I'll drop you by’. 

 

Ashei, knowing her friend was actually concerned, gestured to her to give her a call in the morning. 

Less than an hour later, she was at Link's door, sending him a message for him to open the door, trench coat over her shoulders, shoes in her hand. 

Link was almost floored when he saw the vision at his door. Zelda noticed he was shaky, and his breathing agitated. 

 

_ He is having an anxiety attack.  _

 

‘Come with me’, she held his hands - cold as a block of ice - and took him to the bedroom, putting him under the covers. 

 

‘You look terrible’, she raked through his blond hair. ‘Take deep breaths, try to calm down, I'm here with you’. 

He obeyed her instructions, holding her hands, and slowly, after several minutes, went back to his usual self. 

‘Please, tell me how you ended up like this’. 

‘I was going to write, and started thinking about you and I… and all we’ve done… A-and…I dunno what am I to you’, he looked away, cheeks burning. 

The brunette looked at him, heartbroken.

 

_ Zelda, this is all your fault _ , she scolded herself.  _ You tried to compensate your emotional distance with plenty of sex. And he knows it, because he isn't broken like you.  _

_ You owe him a heart to heart, he treats you like you deserve: respect, consideration, affect…  _

_ Love. That’s it.  _

_ Love.  _

 

‘I know I get smitten easily’, he admitted. ‘We’ve been at it for a little over than a month, I should be more realistic...My head is always in the clouds’. 

‘It's not just that’, she stated. ‘I... have some baggage I haven't handled properly...I don’t want to hurt you, but it seems I still managed to do so. I am so sorry’. 

 

Link opened the covers of the bed. 

‘Come ’ere, then’, he patted the mattress, ‘you look gorgeous, but the night is cold. If we gonna talk, it better be cozy’. 

‘As you wish’.

 

Zelda unzipped her dress, revealing a set of  lace corset and panties. The dress was carefully placed on the desk chair. 

 

‘Dang, what I'm missing for being a sappy dork’, he handed her one of his t-shirts, stuffed under a pillow. 

‘Your heart is in the right place, you're not a sappy dork’, she smiled as she undid the hooks, sighing once free from the garment, and sliding the t-shirt over her.

She approached the nightstand, and took a packet of makeup removing towelettes from the drawer, and sat in front of him.

 

‘I have been only in long relationships with two people in my life, a fact you already know’, she murmured, as she swiped the wipe over her face, ‘but you don’t know who they were…’ -she sighed- ‘do you really want to go over this? Not all people like to know about their partner's exes or how they messed up with them’. 

‘I think it's the right moment, even if it was hella unexpected’. 

 

She sighed, and began. 

 

‘The first was an elder man that tried to lure me in when I was sixteen’. 

‘How old was he?’ 

‘Thirty-seven’, she looked at him embarrassed, Link's eyes like saucers at the revelation.

‘My mother _hated_ him, because she knew better, but didn't make an obvious display of it because she also knew that I would get closer to him if she did, dad did the same. Both knew I was just dazzled because I had gotten the attention of this incredibly handsome, cosmopolite dandy’.

‘Who was him? Just curious’ - he blushed- ‘a lot curious’. 

‘He was the heir of the Dragmire Company. He died after crashing his sports car in Lake Hylia Bridge last year. I bet my mom’s spirit is still dancing on his grave’.

‘I'm damn sure she is’, Link affirmed. 

‘We never got to do anything besides making out and some petting, thanks to my mom’s and dad’s constant meddling, and a part of me knowing it wasn’t right’, she laughed, looking at the rests of makeup on the towelette. ‘He dumped me because I got scared and didn’t let him take my virginity on my seventeenth birthday... later, my mom confessed me she and dad had made some spying on him and were going to accuse him of child abuse, because I wasn't the only girl he tried to coerce into sex… He just didn't get lucky with me. I was incredibly wary of men after that’.

‘I would be too...Your mom is my new hero, by the way’, he commented, amazed at her story, remembering some of her words on their first real-world meetup:

 

_ “I tried to do it before this realization,when I was younger and eager to get laid, but I was repulsed when the moment came…” _

_ So she realized that after going out with that guy. _

 

‘She will always be mine’, she sighed with melancholy. ‘She introduced me to my other ex, a dancer she mentored’. 

‘Really? That's a cool mum for sure!’, he chuckled. 

‘Only in some things, for the rest she was quite normal’, Zelda assured him, taking another wipe. ‘Well, my ex and I became friends fast, despite they was a bit bitchy on the outside...mom said we were as if a puppy and a black cat became friends!’

‘I can picture that’, Link laughed dearly. ‘Ashei and you have a similar dynamic’. 

Zelda nodded. 

‘Our friendship took a romantic turn quite some time later, so it wasn’t a thing of the moment’, she highlighted, scrubbing softly her mascara off. ‘We were mostly happy together, we had some fights but it was mostly because of petty jealousy or immaturity from both parts... we even wanted to move in together once I finished University. And then…’ -she swallowed hard, and stayed silent.

 

Link sat closer to her, and stroked her hair.

 

‘They broke up with me, after having a huge fight because I refused to follow them to pursue a two-year residency on Termina, at The Tower Club in Clocktown. I had just gotten my degree’. Her words were filled with bitterness, a contained pain woven within them. ‘Mom and dad had encouraged her to go for it, despite my opposition, and I was particularly furious with her… she was their mentor, but she had completely overlooked my feelings, being her daughter. I partly blamed her for our breakup’.

Link kept listening silently her story, only holding her free hand.

‘Mom and I had a huge argument a couple of days later. We had never, ever, had a fight. I told her she had betrayed me’, her voice cracked and her eyes watered. ‘I saw the pain in her eyes, as if I had pierced her heart with a knife, and rushed to the door to go for a walk. I hadn’t even arrived there when I heard a loud thud. My mom was on the floor, knocked unconscious… She barely had a pulse.’

He felt her hand softly shaking, and knew she was struggling to contain herself.

‘She died of a stroke at the hospital hours later, and the last words I told her were  _ “you ruined my happiness, you betrayed me” _ , and that will haunt me forever’.

 

And with a choking sob, she broke into tears, Link holding her against his chest, moved by her honesty, tears running down his face too.

 

Both remained that way for some time, until Zelda's tears stopped, and she became calmer. 

 

‘Better?’, Link asked her, after a deep sigh left her chest.

‘Better’, she nodded. ‘Thank you’. 

‘You're welcome’. He kissed her forehead. 

‘I'm sorry for making you feel insecure’, she straightened up, looking at him. ‘After that, I became emotionally distant and cold towards people that sought after me, and hurt many people…but I don't want to do that to you…! Link, you are so kind, sweet, and transparent, I adore that! I do like you, I enjoy being with you’. 

‘Nevermind, precious’, he kissed her cheeks. ‘I enjoy being with you too, you are a delight in every possible way. Now come, tuck in with me’. 

‘I will, just let me brush my hair!’, she got up and dashed to the bathroom. ‘I don't like to sleep with hairspray on, it's like wearing a helmet’. 

 

She returned seconds later, her hair parted in the middle, loose, and climbed on the bed, snuggling against Link's chest. 

 

‘This is so comforting’, she sighed. 

‘I'm glad I can make you feel like that’, his fingers raked through the crown of her head, feeling her body relaxing against his. ‘Just to close this conversation, did you ever speak with her again, to, like, bury the hatchet or have some closure?’

‘Dad spoke with her at the funeral, I didn't. I was looking after Agitha’, her voice was drowsy. ‘We didn't have anything left to talk, anyway. I was too hurt by her and decided to move on, despite everything’. 

‘I see’.  _ If you say so…  _

‘Hey Link...thanks for listening’, Zelda held him closer, eyes shut. ‘I feel lighter’. 

‘You're welcome, but it's my duty… As yer…’, he doubted. 

‘Boyfriend’. 

 

His heart thumped hard at the word. 

 

‘That's what you are to me, never doubt it, even if I don't say it loud or post it all over social media. We are together. Period’.

‘Alright’, he giggled, rejoiced, and grinning. 

 

After a goodnight kiss, both quickly fell asleep, still wrapped into each other’s arms.

 

The following morning, Link felt like he woke up for the first time with her; Zelda was deeply asleep still. He observed her carefully: her under-eye circles, her rosy cheeks, a couple of spots and light freckles on her skin, and a small, faded scar above her right brow, messy hair, a tiny mole on her earlobe -all superficial flaws.

He had taken more than a glimpse of her inner self last night. He knew her light, but craved to see the dark corners of her: her heartache, her emotional scars, her undisclosed sorrows and regrets.

He wasn’t scared or disappointed to find them. 

 

_ Light and darkness are two sides of the same coin, isn’t it? _ , Link said to himself.  _ One cannot exist without the other,  _ he remembered the sentence he told her the night of the party.

 

Altogether, a group of small imperfections, barely known to others, except to him.

 

Lovable imperfections they were.

 

He got up carefully to not wake her up, and looked at her from a distance, as the morning light filled his room, still with the curtains and blinds open, a realization -or more of a confirmation- on his mind. 

With a lovelorn sigh, he went to the kitchen, and looked at the clock - 8:03 a.m. - and as he prepared coffee and breakfast, he started singing an old song:

 

_ I fall in love too easily _

_ I fall in love too fast _

_ I fall in love too terribly hard  _

_ For love to ever last _

_ My heart should be well schooled _

_ 'Cause I've been fooled in the past _

_ But still I fall in love so easily  _

_ I fall in love too fast... _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dress Zelda wears is inspired in Rita Hayworth's number "Put the blame on Mame" from Gilda.
> 
> Lots of chapters on this story will be taken from songs, as you have already seen. When imagining a voice for Link, young Chet Baker came immediately to my mind.


	7. A Snapshot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Link's birthday, and he has plenty to celebrate.

‘You say you have almost finished this story?’, the chief editor, Mr. Chudley, asked Link, who fidgeted a little with the sleeves of his black pullover. ‘You wrote it really fast!’

‘Yessir’, Link affirmed with no doubts. ‘I just happened to get struck by inspiration and things just flowed as syrup over pancakes! It’ll be almost a hundred and fifty when I finish it’.

Chudley twirled his moustache reflexively, and remained silent for some seconds.

‘That is…’ -the old man sighed putting the manuscript on the desk- ‘...too short!!! It’s too good to last one hundred and fifty pages!!!’, he insisted, waving his arms in disbelief. ‘Could you reconsider maybe writing some more, adding or expanding scenes to make it a proper novel instead?’

Link blinked, not expecting such answer from the picky editor, who had considered the first preview, almost two months ago, a risky move from his earlier book.

  


_‘I wonder how people will react when Wolfie, this lovable, naïve boy who was the conductive thread of the stories of “The Tree House”, arrives to the big city and gets besotted by a charming, mysterious, experienced young woman who works as a stripper, Mr. Wolfhardt’._

_‘She is more of a showgirl, it's a lotta more refined’, Link cleared out._

_‘Don’t romanticize things, kiddo! She gets paid to get undressed, and she is going to defile him anyway’, the Senior editor crossed his arms._

_‘That's the idea, Chuds’, Link laughed. ‘I intend to write a sexy coming of age story, whether you like it or not’._

_‘With lots of coming?’, he joked._

_‘Maybe’, Link grinned._

_‘Mr. Chudley, it's something no one would expect, and I think it's wonderful!’, Shad added, ‘give it a chance!’_

_‘I never said I didn't like it!’, the editor pointed out. ‘Bring me another advance in two weeks!’_

  


‘I…’ -he hesitated- ‘need to think about it’.

‘I think he shouldn’t force the story artificially’, Shad, all suited up, playing with his cufflinks, gave his input. ‘Not everything has to be a novel. A novella is a perfect format for a more adventurous story like this one, and since it’s shorter, it’s easier to read, thus more readers!’.

‘You’re right, my boy’, Chudley affirmed, twirling his moustache again, ‘Link, give it a spin and tell me tomorrow’.

 

The blond nodded, relieved the draft had been praised.

 

‘I need you to choose a five hundred-word extract though’, Chudley requested, more serious. ‘The Hyrule Times is interested on showing a preview, besides making a profile on what they have so far on you’.

‘Oh, that’s mighty nice of them’, he grinned. ‘I’ll pick the fragment when I get home...when would the article appear?’

‘On the Arts & Culture section on the 14th, the Sunday edition. That’s the best free ad you can get on the book in advance, sonny lad’.

‘You’re darn sure, Chuds’, Link gathered his notes and put them in his messenger bag.

‘See ya tomorrow, guys, cheerio!’

 

Both men started getting up to leave.

 

‘One last question, _Mr. Wolfhardt_ ’, Chudley’s voice made them stop. ‘Who is _Playgirl_ ? I assume she is based off someone, or some others… she is very... _fleshed out_ ’.

Shad and Link looked at each other, the latter shrugging and sighing in resignation.

‘She is more the embodiment of an experience for sure, sir’, Link affirmed with a soft smile. ‘But if you wanna know, she is mostly like....my girlfriend, actually?’, he confessed.

Chudley burst into laughs.

‘Nice one, boy! I love your sense of humor!’, he cackled. ‘See ya tomorrow! Happy birthday, by the way!’

 

The editor and writer left the meeting room in silence.

 

‘I thought you wouldn’t dare to say, sport’, Shad whispered to his friend. ‘It does not surprise me, though’.

‘I can’t lie, buddy, ya know me’, Link answered in a murmur, ‘lucky us ole Chuds is hella dense, and bet the “my girlfriend” part is a figment of my imagination’.

‘Zelda _knows_ you modeled _Playgirl_ after her, doesn’t she?’, the editor opened his office, letting his friend in. ‘And that you're basically sharing your licentious exploits with the world?’

‘Absolutely, licentious exploits and all, even if they are mostly imaginary, buddy’.  _The stuff we do in real life is a million times better, pal._

‘Good to know, in both cases’, he sighed. ‘It was a little awkward to revise the text not knowing clearly if it was you or them... It's not as if she is _exactly_ like her, but you never know, sport’, the editor shrugged, taking a seat. ‘I wouldn't like to see you dumped _and_ sued. The press will be fascinated trying to find out who she is anyway, they love that kind of gossip’.

‘They tried for over eighteen months to know who I was, remember?’, Link plopped on a chair in front of the desk. ‘I'm harder to catch than a Hylian Loach!’

‘They just gave up right before hitting it! Anyway...have you considered writing without hiding out or with an alias someday?’, Shad asked, tapping the desk with his fingertips. ‘Just curious, old sport’.

‘Zelda has asked me the same’ - he sighed - ‘and I'll tell ya the same I told her long ago: _‘Linus and Link are two sides of the same coin’_ , but...I have already considered the possibility of showing up my face or giving an interview for the release of the book… I dunno, I might offer Chuds giving a small interview for the profile thingy in the Times! Zelda has helped me a lot with my anxiety and taught me some tricks to not panic when facing the unknown, but I still have to make my mind’.

‘Sport! That’s something dandy!’, he clapped enthused, ‘The things love does!’

‘Yeah’, the blonde laughed, blushing up to the tips of his ears. _I haven’t told her how much I love her, though..._

‘Do tell me, dear sport’.

‘What, dude?’

‘When you make up your mind’, he cleared out. ‘I’ve got to prepare everything for Linus Wolfhardt to step into the world!’

‘Of course, man’.

 

After some banter on the potential risks and benefits of going public - Link never thought of the possibility of having _an actual active fan base, with groupies and all_ \- and the promise of seeing each other again at Mr. King’s house for his birthday party, he left the editorial building and typed a message for a certain therapist.

 

_Greetings Miss King, I’d like to make an appointment with you._

**Mr. Graham, I have a free spot now from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., a patient has cancelled their session. Would you like to come?**

_Many times. Wherever you want me to._

**I'm being serious, you sleaze.**

_Sorry :D I’ll be there in 15._

**Perfect! xoxo**

  


The bell of the small studio she had as a consultation rang.

 

‘Howdy?’, he greeted her, leaning on the door frame, hands in the pockets of his green coat, a green and blue tartan scarf around his neck. ‘You look gorgeous’.

Zelda, in a sleek low ponytail, a total-black ensemble of pencil skirt, blouse, tights and high heeled booties, laughed at his attitude and provincial greeting, and kissed him.

‘You saw me leave this morning in these clothes’, she gestured for him to go inside.

‘I remember more you _without_ ‘em’, he followed her into her studio.

‘That’s because you were almost falling asleep again when I dressed’, Zelda locked the door after they went in.

‘I wonder whose fault is that’, he clicked his tongue, looking indiscreetly at the generousness of her backside.

‘I am absolutely not at fault, sir’, her tone was steely, ‘because I tend to have more or less normal sleep hours, and don’t stay up too late, unlike you’.

‘Then punish me for misbehavin’, _Mistress Zelda_ ’.

‘Whatever I could propose is not an actual punishment for you’, she leaned on the desk, arms crossed.

‘You wearing that skirt is doing it for sure’.

‘Cheeky’, she sat on her desk, ‘you should save your energy for tonight, birthday boy’.

‘I don't need to save up’, he stood in front of her, leaning towards her for a kiss. ‘I'm always ready for you’.

‘Well, if you say so…’ - she stood, hiking up her tight skirt - ‘We could have a quickie before grabbing a bite’.

‘Oh, Goddesses, you are something else’.

 

She wore a garterbelt with stocking under her skirt, nothing more.

 

‘I took my panties off before you arrived’, she smirked. ‘I kind of knew you would be eager, so I thought of an extra surprise for you, birthday guy’.

 

His coat and scarf ended on the couch, as Zelda started undoing his belt and unzipping his jeans, his hands starting undoing the buttons of her blouse and the front clasp of her bra, then fondling her breasts, both never breaking their kissing.

Right after he penetrated her, and thrusted to their heart's content, Link's phone started ringing in his left pocket, the melody making them lose focus on their pleasure.

‘Answer… please,...Link’, Zelda ordered in ragged breaths, a little frustrated.

He stopped, taking his phone out of his back pocket, eyes widened at the caller ID.

‘Mama?’, he answered embarrassed.

 

Zelda burst into muffled laughs.

 

‘You got here already? Alright, see y’all, meet me at Yeto’s’. He hung up.

‘ _Y’all_ ’, she snorted. ‘Cute’.

‘I can’t believe my parents cockblocked me’, he sighed, burying his face on her chest in defeat. ‘We’ll have company for lunch’.

‘Don’t be pouty! I have a real treat for you later’.

His head rose, face full of excitement at the prospect, and smooched her.

  


‘You, miss, are gorgeous!’, a blonde, petite woman shook Zelda’s hands. ‘I'm Uli, this boy's mama!’

‘Thanks for the compliment, madam’, she blushed a pinch. ‘I'm Zelda’.

‘I'm Rusl’, Link's father - a tall man with light brown hair and strong looks- shook her hand, a young blonde boy with bright blue eyes to his side. ‘This is Colin’.

The shy boy greeted her with a wave and a faint ‘hi’.

‘Hi, Colin, nice to meet you’, she patted his head. ‘Link has told me a lot about you! I have a sister of your same age! You'll meet her, and some friends of her tonight’.

‘I won't be the only kid at the table! Great!’, he sighed relieved. ‘Can I ask you something?’

‘Sure’, she gave him a beaming smile.

‘Are you a model? You are really tall and pretty! Link used to like a girl that wasn’t-’

‘No more comments, bro’, Link cut him off, extremely embarrassed.

Zelda laughed to herself, as the group walked towards the diner, a thought lingering on the back of her mind.

 

_Now that I think about it...he has never talked about “the girl of the horse call”. Better put that thought aside for a while…_

  


The lunch went smoothly, Zelda was charmed by how easygoing and warm was Link’s family. Uli and Rusl had brought some of his childhood pictures -to Link’s chagrin- and shared some childhood stories about him. The couple parted ways, Zelda returning to her counseling office, Link staying at the diner with his family some more.

‘Now that your girlfriend ain’t here, sweetie, I gotta ask you...’ -Uli took a deep breath- ‘how did you get that bombshell to date you? I adore you, but you’re not precisely a smooth talker’.

 

_“I met her in a bunny costume, mom” - not something you tell your parents._

 

‘W-we...met by chance. She is bff’s with Shad’s girlfriend’.

‘She is way nicer than Ilia, I bet Epona will love her!’, Colin added, ‘you should bring her for the winter break!’

‘Hey, that’s a little mean, dontcha?’, he ruffled his brother’s hair. ‘But what you say is a good idea’.

‘We’re also meeting her family this evening, right?, Rusl asked.

‘Yeah, her dad, sister, grandma, and some family friends. They are a riot, you’ll love them’.

  


And they did: they hadn’t spent an hour together, and it seemed that Link’s family and Zelda’s had met from ages.

Some funny coincidences were found out: Rusl had studied in the same college as Auru and Daphnes, but in different years -he was a freshman while they were seniors, Uli hailed from the same province as Rutela and Maeve, and Colin and Agitha had been born in the same month, two weeks apart. By the end of the evening they were like butter and toast!

 

‘Seems your dad will have to buy a bigger table’, Ashei nudged her friend a little, while the younger group watched the elders from the living room. ‘I bet my bangs the entirety of Ordon will be at your birthday party next spring, Zelda’.

‘Not if all of us go there!’, Link laughed, checking the manual of the instant camera he had gotten as a gift from Zelda, ‘y’all would love it, specially you, Ashei’

‘Why? There are only goats, crops, and grass’, she grimaced.

‘Also beer, bourbon, and moonshine’, Link added with a playful grin. ‘We have a harvest festival that’s pretty much a booze fest’.

‘Sign me and my liver the fuck up’, her expression changed immediately to a starry-eyed one.

All laughed at her reaction.

‘Link, I’d like to give you another gift’, Zelda whispered, as she leaned close to him. ‘But we need to go somewhere private’.

 

Under the excuse they had tickets for a play, they left without raising suspicions, and hailed a cab, arriving in exactly eleven minutes to their destination: Castletown Plaza Hotel.

‘I'll go upstairs first. I will call you when I'm ready’, she winked before heading to the front desk.

 

Zelda did their check-in as Link waited in the hotel bar, drinking a ginger ale, idly staring at his phone screen _._ Being a Monday night, it was rather empty: only a tall, bejewelled redhead in a black, long bodycon dress one seat away with a glass of wine was at the bar.

 

‘Is your date taking too long to arrive?’, the woman asked with a playful tone.

‘More or less’, Link answered nervously.

‘Don't worry, dude!’ - she patted his back- ‘With a face like yours, no way she'd dump you’, she grinned.

Link answered with his reddened face.

‘You're getting lucky tonight’.

He nodded. _I know ma’am. Just don't say it like a darn boombox!_

 

Link's phone buzzed. A message: _Upper suite 505, last floor. Just go inside._ His face brightened, the woman chuckling at his reaction.

 

‘See, just as I told you’, she laughed. ‘Have fun’, she waved goodbye.

‘Bye, miss’, he waved back, rushing to the elevator.

 

In 30 seconds he was on the 25th floor, and walked fast to the end of the hall, his heart already racing. He went inside the room, all dark.

 

‘Take a seat, please’, Zelda’s voice ordered from the shadows of the hotel suite.

 

There was a cushioned bench at the foot bed; Link took a seat there, surprised at the moonlit room.

 

‘Hello, handsome’.

 

A soft light lit in a corner.

Link's head turned towards the room entrance. There was a screen he didn’t notice, Zelda’s silhouette behind it, holding feathery fans in each hand,then lifting them up, unfolding before her contours, to emerge from behind it partly covered with them.

Her hair was in soft victory rolls, the rest of her locks curled, makeup soft, rosy, and luminous, enhancing her beautiful features, the heels of her bejeweled slippers clicking on the hardwood floor, the pale pink rhinestones matching with the feathers of the fans; the soft backlight revealed the curves hidden behind them.

The triumphant smile on Zelda's lips after looking at Link's face - eyes wide, cheeks flushed crimson, mouth open in a muted gasp - meant she had achieved her goal of surprising him with honors.

 

‘Zelda, you're gonna be the death of this country lad’.

‘I don't think so’, she giggled, twirling the fans gracefully, never letting her body uncovered. ‘You seem very lively’.

‘Ooh, believe me, you are killing me _slowly_ ’, his eyes wandered over her figure, his throat parched and blood rushing all over his body.

 

Zelda spun on her heels, spinning the fans, now one covering her rear, leaving her back uncovered, her front covered with the other, her eyes gleaming with mirth, staring at Link over her shoulder.

 

‘Who taught you this thang of beauty?’, he asked, swallowing hard.

‘Take a wild guess’, she spun slowly on her tiptoes.

‘Obviously. Your mama’, he shrugged at his obliviousness.

‘This has a funny story’, she twirled forward, ‘my dad saw my mom for the first time when she was performing this type of fan dance at The Castle. He says he fell in love at first sight with her’.

‘I could hardly blame him’, he sighed. _I get that feeling too._ ‘You look gorgeous’.

‘Thank you’, she winked, lowering the fan on her back, revealing the curve of her waist, hips and legs, then lifting the fan in front of her body, stepping once more towards him.

 

And then, suddenly, she opened the fans in a wide, fluid movement, almost as if she had wings, dropping the fans carefully, revealing herself to him: she wore absolutely nothing, her only accessory was her disraming beauty.

 

‘Happy birthday, Link’.

 

Link didn’t answer, just stared at that body he knew so well by now, but he saw in a completely new light. To him, in that moment, she was not his sweet, witty, and deliciously sexy girlfriend.

She was _a Goddess._ A being to look at in awe, to worship, and bask in her glorious light.

 

‘Am I so beautiful you have no words left?’, she grinned, unpinning her hair, curls falling undone to the sides of her face.

‘C’mere’, he got up, and holding her face, kissed her hungrily, lowering her to have her straddling his lap.

 

Her hands immediately tugged at the hem of his black pullover, breaking the kiss to take it off, both starting to crawl towards the bed, Link kicking off his boots before his head hit the mound of fluffy pillows at the headboard.

 

‘You are the birthday guy, so...’, Zelda stated, unbuckling his belt. ‘....I'll get you spoiled’.

‘As if I ain't already’, he huffed, pulling his pants and underwear down. ‘I just wanna enjoy you through and through, and compensate for our failed quickie before lunch’.

‘You don’t need to’, she made a trail of kisses down his chest and belly slowly, him knowing exactly where she was heading, letting her do as she pleased.

 

She took his length on her hand and started licking him slowly, before taking him with her mouth. Link, ecstatic at her ministrations, moaned and hissed at her moves, hands clenched in pillows and covers.

 

‘Would you like me to keep going?’, she asked, biting her lower lip.

‘No’, he exhaled. ‘Come, ride me’.

 

She lowered herself into him, and started to move slowly, curling and rolling her hips as Link grabbed her hips greedily, following her every move with them, to move upward, cupping her breasts, teasing her nipples in his fingers, delighted at her pleased reaction.

He felt her insides get wetter, warmer, tense, and ordered her to stop.

 

‘Meanie!’, she chided in a coquettish tone, getting off him, not before rolling her hips once more. ‘It was so good’.

‘Yes, but you are greedy, miss’, he sat to kiss her. ‘You had your _“I’m gonna cum”_ face’.

‘Guilty as charged’, she kissed him back, biting his lower lip, Link pinning her against the mattress in retaliation, her expression a delighted, aroused, mischievous grin.

'Oh gods, I just _love_ it when you do that’, his hands stroked down her forearms, her breasts, waist and hips, to end on her knees, spreading her legs for him to position himself on her opening.

'What?’

'That face’.

‘What face?’, she faked ingenuity, and licked her lips.

'Your _'I want you’_ face’.

'I do', she smirked, 'I'm yours for the take’.

‘You're mine’, he sheathed himself up to his hilt, a gasp leaving Zelda’s lips. ‘ _Mine_ ’.

 

Every thrust read the same way, as the need for release pooled inside them. Zelda wrapped her legs tightly around his hips, writhing in the pleasure prior to her climax, unraveling a moment later, in honeyed cries and shivers.

As she panted to catch her breath, Link lowered himself, leaving kisses along Zelda’s neck.

 

‘I ain't done with ya, hun’, he hushed.

‘I know’, she chuckled, turning to lay on her stomach. ‘You want me spent’.

‘Nope’, he caressed her back. ‘I said I wanna enjoy you. I'm doing that’, and he penetrated her again, wrapping himself around her, a pleased sigh escaping Zelda's lips.

 

His movements were slower, but deeper, arms coiling around his partner, whose hands clutched to the bedcover as he caressed her breasts with one hand and rubbed her clit in circles, coming undone again swiftly, as he spilled himself inside her, his voice a hoarse grunt, mixed with her sighs, both panting and sweating, exhausted.

After catching their breath, Link made a trail of kisses from her neck to her lips, as she made delighted coos.

 

‘Best. Birthday. Ever’, he concluded, lifting his weight from her, resting on his back. ‘I'm spent, gorgeous’.

Zelda just laughed, looking at him, then getting up to pick up the feather fans from the floor.

‘I'm honored’, she stood with one of the fans covering her breasts, the other over her hips, a mischievous grin on her lips.

Something clicked in Link's head, and grabbed the instant camera she had given him.

 

‘Stay just as you are’, and he snapped a picture.

‘I didn't know you were into “ _immortalizing the moment_ ” in pictures’, Zelda giggled, leaving the fans on a bag over an armchair.

‘Neither am I’, he observed the image developing before his eyes. ‘It's just that…’, he hesitated.

‘Just what?’, she crawled again on to the bed, sitting next to him.

 

Link showed her the picture. Only her smile was on frame, her bare shoulder and arm peeking behind the fan.

 

‘I just decided you are going to be the cover of the book’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I intended to post this just after I arrived to Tokyo, but jet-lag was merciless with me, and I needed to give this a proper edit before posting it.
> 
> Also, foreshadowing!


	8. Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link decides to step into the public light and give his first interview.

_ I realized I'm head over heels for Playgirl.  _

 

_ I was just visiting her as usual, and chit chatting about my classmates, when I let it slip that I have never stepped inside a sex shop. Oh, the things that happen when you let your guard down - and stare to the most perfect cleavage in the world for too long.  _

 

_ ‘You have  _ **_never_ ** _ been to a sex shop, Wolfie?’, Playgirl’s steely blue eyes were sparkling, mirth all over them. _

_ ‘Nope, ma’am’, I shook my head in denial. ‘I’m a virgin, through and through’. _

_ ‘Please, let me take you to one’, she held my hands, and placed them on her chest. Her heart pounded like a hammer, ‘allow me to initiate you’.  _

 

_ I assumed that's kinda of a turn on for her. And in all honesty, her excitement and enthusiasm were arousing - added to the smoothness of her skin and the thumping of her heart under my hand, I became a puny pleaser.  _

 

_ ‘Of course, miss’.  _

_ ‘Oh, Gods!’, she waved her hands in extreme excitement and glee, ‘I’m so proud of giving you this moment!’ _

_ ‘Hey, it’s a just a shop that sells kinky stuff’. _

_ ‘No baby Wolfie, It’s an  _ **_experience_ ** _ ’, her hand passed in front of my eyes, fingers moving as if she were a magician, ‘I'm teaching you how to charm and please whoever you want, and this place is key to do so! One must be free from fear to enjoy their sexuality to the fullest, and sexshops help with that! Maybe you are incredibly kinky and you don't know it yet!  _

 

_ So she dragged my country arse on her day off to a store with polarized windows and a pink neon sign.  _

 

_ ‘Tell me about your size first’. She pointed at a wall of vibrators in every single dimension - even ungodly ones - available.  _

 

_ With grimace and embarrassment all over me, I pointed out to one on the upper left corner. Why are these things so….vascular? _

 

_ ‘Not bad, Wolfie!’, she nudged my side. ‘A little above average, but with an extra kick’. _

_ ‘Whaddaya mean?’ _

_ ‘You're  _ **_thick_ ** _ ’, she commented with a smirk. _

 

_ She slayed me with that. _

 

_ In my head, I was literally having a breakdown, and her twinkling eyes showed she knew it.  _

 

_ ‘You have great power within you, I'll teach you how to handle it’, she held my hands, ‘you already have a good heart, that's half of being a good lover’.  _

_ ‘W-what's the other half?’ _

_ ‘Knowing how to use your tool, and how to use your tongue’ - she licked her lips - specially with women. I can teach you that too’.  _

_ ‘Because you're a girl’ _

_ ‘Because I am a girl, yes, but also a girl who has been with people with vaginas too’.  _

_ ‘Oh’, I blinked, realization striking me hard. ‘Oooh’, I nodded, and turned to a corner with lace and mesh body stockings.  _

 

_ I sunk my head in the junction of the walls, it's coldness refreshing against my heated forehead, boiling with thoughts of her and an imaginary other person, in a naked embrace, with airy kisses, as Playgirl went down on them.  _

 

_ And I got stupidly jealous.  _

 

_ I wanted those caresses, the embrace of her soft bare skin, to eat her out, to eat her good, ‘till she withered beneath me, shivering blissfully.  _

 

_ ‘Excuse me, ma’am’, I apologized, knocking my horny, unnecessarily possessive head on the walls. ‘I couldn't handle all that with a clean mind’.  _

 

_ I heard her chiming laugh behind my back. _

 

_ ‘Nobody does when I tell them I'm pansexual… peeps freak out, guys mostly. It’s just that I  _ **_like_ ** _ people, what I can learn and enjoy of them, I don't care about the rest’.  _

_ ‘I get it’, I turned to her, ‘I do’.  _

 

_ She is a free spirit, not ruled by the laws of rotten, old men.  _

 

_ Her heart is too big, too deep, too beautiful.  _

 

_ And I want her to love me.  _

 

* * *

 

_ The calm Mr. Wolfhardt, whose face I see for the first time - he had never given a face-to-face interview before, always avoiding the media despite his skyrocketing literary fame - lets a chuckle as I read the extract he allowed to share for this interview - and some more just for this journalist’s eyes only. He arrived earlier than expected, in a true southern gentleman fashion, and greeted me warmly, as if I was a friend he hadn't seen in a long time.  _

_ He is fresh-faced, and his rugged handsomeness - bright blue eyes, tanned skin, flaxen hair, pierced Hylian ears, beautiful turned up nose, and strong, but lean body - is only accented by his simple but elegant outfit of dark grey trousers and pullover, navy coat, and brown Chelsea boots. _

_ I honestly expected an older, even more rugged country lumberjack in a plaid flannel shirt and jeans - he looks more like a stylish grad student. When I comment him about this he jokes, ‘We ain't in the countryside anymore’, all in his charming southern drawl, ‘I went as far as possible from it for today, but rest assured, my boots and axe are at home’.  _

 

**_Mr. Wolfhardt, what made you take such a dramatic turn from your previous book?_ **

_ Well, I wrote Treehouse between my last year of high school and my first year of college, so it's a collection of stories ‘bout my home, the woods, the people and what they had to tell. Playgirl is more urban, since it reflects more on my current life in the city, even if I go often back to Ordon to see my folks.  _

 

**_Does your current life involve nightclubs and cabarets? You were said to be seen in the release party of the ‘Hundred Shadows…’ book._ **

_ Not much actually, although I was there indeed. I went with my editor, who had taken me to The Castle before, which is the inspiration for the place where Wolfie will meet the titular Playgirl. I consider the owner a part of my family, as a matter of fact. Despite the book might give ya the impression I've become a creature of the night, I am mostly working on my writing at that time.  _

 

**_A literary creature of the night maybe?_ **

_ (laughs) You betcha! Nighttime is inspiring for me, and I feel more focused. I find the stillness, the neon lights and the empty streets something that makes my head go overdrive. I work with my windows and the curtains open, the former if the weather allows it. _

 

**_On the same subject, Playgirl seems to be *_ ** **quite** **_* the creature of the night. The very opposite of the sunny, ingenuous, wholesome protagonist of your short story ‘The Girl of the Horse Call’._ **

_ Yes, she is quite the night birdie! It's true they are very different, but comparisons are hella nasty, especially between women. Playgirl is based mostly on a real woman.  _

 

_ Mr. Wolfhardt lets this fond smile and a little sigh - he looks like a man deeply in love!  _

 

**_Is Ellia, the girl of ‘Horse Call’ based on a real person too?_ **

_ Yes. A childhood friend (deep sigh). We... pretty much grew up together, our parents were neighbors and stuff. Our folks swore we’d get married someday and things like that… But life drifted us apart. It's…complicated (sighs). But she is still very dear to me. She'll always be.  _

 

**_That screams ‘love triangle’._ **

_ (Snorts a laugh) Hardly. I'm on a relationship now.  _

 

**_With the “real” Playgirl?_ **

_ Yep. I won't give much detail, mostly for her privacy. I've already gave in enough deets for some good time with this interview! But I wanted to do this, to break the world's shell, even though it's lil’ by lil’.  _

 

**_You are famous for your masterful avoidance of the media up to this day. Some other writers and journalists thought you were either another writer under an alias or a marketed product, a fictional writer._ **

_ (Laughs) Yeah, I remember all that, how wacky it was all of it! It felt good to be elusive though. I wouldn't have done this some months ago, though. I've been working a lot on my insecurities and fears lately.  _

 

**_Does this mean we'll see more of you in real life in the future?_ **

_ You bet. Probably not a whole lotta lot, but surely y’all see me ‘round. I won't hide this time, I promise (laughs).  _

 

**_The book has a spring release. You wrote it incredibly fast._ **

_ It was a story I started writing after I got struck with inspiration one night. I got my work dragged during a conversation, and ditched the text I had been working in, which was a sort of follow up to ‘Treehouse’, but I had been stuck for quite a while with it, so much I was starting to think I had writer's block. So this drag down enlightened me to work differently. Playgirl is somewhere between a novella and a novel in length, has lots of quick dialog, succinct descriptions, besides it's written in first person. I also tried to build interesting characters, well rounded and fleshed out.  _

 

**_For what I have read so far, this is a very racy and direct coming of age story, but with a very poignant approach to sex: intercourse is a joyful, luminous affair, not sordid, perverse, and dark, like other novels of the moment._ **

_ I wanted to get this point straight, ‘cause it is very important to portray a relationship like Wolfie and Playgirl’s in a healthy way: she is empowered and free, she knows exactly what she wants, and he has to come to terms with that, make things work, and change accordingly. He isn't submitting to her, he is accepting her, loving her just as she is. So is she.  _

 

**_An equivalent exchange of sorts._ **

_ Exactly! (laughs) You caught my drift right away! Love is, or should be like that, dontcha think?  _

 

_ He is absolutely right.  _

  
  


_ Once I stop the recorder and take some pictures for this interview, we engage in some casual chit-chat, mostly on his hobbies: illustration - he did the all the artwork for ‘Treehouse’, to my surprise - and recently, photography, finishing to break apart the image us media had built about him, this lonesome wolf that wrote beautifully sad, full of longing stories about the country life, the dense, green forests, and their inhabitants.  _

_ I observe him attentively from the café window as he left after this brief encounter, and I wonder how this charming, warm, and transparent young man had not come into the light before, despite his shyness.  _

_ In a current literary landscape in which sex is twisted and used for shock value in order to sell copies, a story in which sex is seen as something natural, just as a form of expression of affection, and initiation is full of excitement and unknown pleasures, a work like his is not only an act of bravery, but also a statement of principles.  _

 

_ In all honesty, I am looking forward to meet Playgirl and see where she takes me.  _

  
  


‘I can't believe Mr. Ezlo, the toughest book critic in Hyrule is at your feet!’, Zelda hollered, holding the newspaper against her chest, sitting on the bed of Link's room, hair messed up and in pajamas. ‘You did amazing in the interview!’

‘It was all thanks to Shad's styling and your pep talks’, Link entered the bedroom with a tray with a breakfast of tea, scrambled eggs, and toast. ‘I was with the jitters, but it didn't show’- he put it over the covers and sat in front of her - ‘I was really freaking out when he asked me ’bout ya’. 

‘He asked you about about someone else too’.  _ Someone you should have told me about already.  _

‘Yup, but I didn't freak out with that’, he affirmed with a slightly cutting tone, as he spread butter on his toast. 

 

Zelda’s eyebrow raised, as she put the newspaper aside, taking her mug of tea for a sip. 

 

_ Strike two. If he doesn't talk about ‘The Girl of the Horse Call’ next time, I'll have to do it myself.  _

 

The uncomfortable silence that had fallen between the two was broken by Zelda's mobile ringing. 

 

‘Dad?’, she greeted the early caller. 

‘Hi baby, put us on the loudspeaker!’

 

Zelda tapped her phone screen and took it away from her ear. 

 

‘MAH BOIII!!! YOU DID AWESOME’, Mr. King shouted, Agitha’s giggles accompanying him. ‘also, your pretty face is all over the internet!’

‘All over the Internet, you bouncy grasshopper!’, Agitha echoed her father.

‘Damn right, sweetie!’, a high five sounded on the loudspeaker.

‘Heck no’, Link’s face paled.

‘Heck yeah! Check on Dweetter the hashtag with your alias!’, Daphnes cackled. ‘Thank Hylia you don’t have social media, boy! Your fans are thirsting over you, haha!’

‘I might check later for funsies, Daphnes’, Link affirmed, not sure if it was a good idea to peek on the internet.

‘That’s one dark pit you’ll stare at!’, Mr. King warned him. ‘Hey, Zellie, I need you tell you something one-on-one’.

‘Okie dokie, dad’, she turned off the loudspeaker, and got up to go to the living room.

‘Sweetie, I need you to go to change your mom’s flowers, I can’t go on Tuesday, your old man has an appointment with Renado’.

‘Oh, I thought it was something else’, she sighed. ‘You sounded too serious’.

‘It’s just that I know you don’t like cemeteries’, Daphnes told his daughter.

‘Don’t worry, dad, I’ll go now, on my way home before lunch’, she promised. ‘See you later’.

‘Bye, little princess!’, and hung up.

 

Zelda went back to the bedroom, where Link was on his notebook, munching a toast. His face was painted with disbelief, perplexity, and a pinch of disturbance.

 

‘It seems...I have a lotta crazy ass fans right now’, he sighed, showing his girlfriend the screen, a series of status updates appearing before her eyes. She calmly took a seat next to him on the bed, and read.

 

Some made her eyebrows raise, others were plain funny. 

 

‘ _ “Wolf daddy, I wanna be your red riding hood” _ ? That's a good one, although a bit ridiculous’, she giggled. ‘Check this one,  _ “Best thing Ordon has given Hyrule after goat cheese”,  _ you should use it in your bio on the back cover’.

‘I'm more worried about the _ “I loved his book, now I wanna ride his face” _ ones’. 

‘It's just a primal reaction, calm down’, she patted his back. ‘Imagine you opened the newspaper or clicked on the article, and poof! The guy everyone thought a grumpy old man happens to be a super nice, hot dude’. 

‘I’m not a super hot dude’, he denied. ‘I look everyday like...this’, he pointed at his messy mane, and his ratty sweatpants and old sweatshirt, and fluffy dog slippers.

‘Your damn abs and my three orgasms last night say otherwise’, she poked his cheek.

He blushed furiously red and hid his face in his hands. ‘Don't say that! You wanna murder me’.

‘Maybe, but I'm just stating the facts’, she giggled. ‘But...I can take you to a place where there are mostly non-living people, if you want to disappear for a while’.

His eyes peeked from between his fingers. ‘What do you mean?’

  
  


Hyrule General Cemetery was a twenty five-minute ride from Castletown, and half the time from the Kings’ residence. After shopping for flowers at a kiosk at the entrance, a very bundled up Link followed Zelda and the fragrant trail of the fresh lilacs she had just bought through the necropolis’ streets. He kept his eyes attentive to the details of the solemn graveyard, and how the cold winter light played on the marble sculptures and bas-reliefs on the graves.

‘You should know I deeply dislike these places’, Zelda commented as she rolled her pink coat sleeves and grabbed a bucket, filling it with water from a fountain. ‘I just come here out of duty, but I'm glad I'm with you’. 

‘Thank you’, he patted her back. ‘Why the dislike?’

‘The most important thing about someone who’s gone is not the place where dry bones rest’, she placed the bunch of flowers on the bucket, ‘but the memories we have of them in our minds and in our hearts’.

‘A reasonable reason to avoid graveyards’, he affirmed, his breath leaving wafts of vapor. ‘My grandpa said somethin’ like that, and he chose to be cremated. I remember we threw his ashes on Lost Woods, ol’ gramps loved that place’.

‘A wise man your grandfather was’, she affirmed, walking towards the graves of the members of her family. ‘Nothing is better than to become one with Nayru’s green earth again’.

 

Zelda’s melancholic tone and sudden silence made him feel a pang in his heart.

 

‘And I’m supposed to be the writer, you sounded very poetic’, he tried to joke to lift her spirits.

 

She didn’t answer.

 

‘Zel…?’, he tapped her shoulder, looking at where her eyes focused. ‘Are you alright?’

 

An enormous arrangement of tiger lilies, accompanied by astromelias and buttercups had been left.

 

‘Whoa! Someone paid their respects for sure…’, Link stared in awe at the beautiful, bright-colored flowers.

‘That’s my mother’s grave’, her voice was a mere whisper.

‘Really? But your dad already left flowers already…’

‘We always leave her favorites. Those aren’t’, she swallowed hard.

 

She felt a sensation on her chest that left her heart clutched, and tension creeping up her back and neck, an unknown unease growing inside her. Still she kneeled, and put the arrangement in Link's hands. 

 

‘Can you put these on the other graves, please?’, she asked her partner, handing him the arrangement. ‘Those two to the right are my grandparents, and those other are my great-grandparents, and my great uncle’. 

 

_ Tiger lilies?  _

 

_ Maybe dad brought others for a change. I shouldn't make assumptions. Maybe the Castle guys, or mom's fans brought these.  _

 

_ I shouldn't be panicking over flowers, right?  _

 

Zelda put some water on the stone vase on the grave, and placed with loving care the fragrant lilacs, their scent soothing her thoughts for a moment. 

 

_ I shouldn't be panicking about flowers, even if they are dusky colored, right? ...And they-who-shall-not-be-named’s favorite flowers, right? _

 

_ What would mom tell me?  _

 

_ “Zeldie, my birdie, you are such a worrisome little thing! Your hair will be gray and your brow with a wrinkle by the time you turn thirty!” _

 

She held the stem of the last flower and took a deep breath, the sweet perfume filling her lungs. 

 

_ Should I panic about flowers? No, absolutely not.  _

 

‘All your gramps’ graves look nice and dandy, miss’, Link crouched next to her, taking her out of her train of thought. ‘You okay?’

 

She answered with a nod to Link's question and he gave her a happy grin. 

 

They left the cemetery and headed to Zelda’s house for lunch, as the first snow of the season started falling in Castletown. At the house’s front yard were Mr. King and Agitha making a snow bug, as Impaz watched from the porch. Zelda parked the car in front of the house, and Link got off quickly to join the game, the three of them entering the house covered in snow. 

 

‘It's only the five of us today, and since today was my boy Link’s big reveal, I made something extra special!’, he announced, opening the door.

‘Surprise!!!’, Rusl, Uli and Colin shouted from inside the house.

 

Link’s eyes widened, and got immediately watery, as he jumped to hug them.

 

‘Gosh, I didn’t expect y’all to come!’

‘It was a surprise!’, Rusl patted his son’s head, ‘We couldn’t tell you or Zellie anything!’

‘Agitha and I came up with the idea!’, Colin giggled.

‘Roly-Poly and I planned it while playing games online!’, Agitha added, very proud.

 

The bunch had a hearty lunch of pumpkin soup with loads of cheese, and plenty of pumpkin pie for dessert, accompanied by hot chocolate with marshmallows -and even more banter from both families.

 

All the warm, delicious food, despite its abundance, couldn’t lift the unease from Zelda’s spirits, and she excused herself from the table to rest for a moment in her room. 

 

She tried to nap her worries away wrapped in a lavender blanket, curtains open, until she felt a broad, rough hand stroking her hair. 

 

‘It's because I haven't told you about  _ her _ , right?’, she felt Link's weight sink the mattress. ‘I know you ain't sleeping’. 

‘No’, she sighed, still lying on her side. ‘But if you want to talk about it, it would be nice too. I shouldn't know about your exes on the press’. 

‘She wasn’t even my ex’, he cleared up. ‘We didn’t even kiss’.

 

Zelda turned on her back to face him, and blinked at him, not understanding.

 

‘She was just a  _ what if _ ’, he sighed.

‘Elaborate, please’, she requested, sitting on the bed.

‘Are you analyzing me? ‘Cause that’s yer “shrink” tone’.

‘No, I just entered my “no judging, just listening” zone’, she straightened up.  _ Of course I’m going shrink mode, you silly. If I don’t I might act like an unnecessarily awkward idiot. _

‘Whatever you say, gorgeous’, he chuckled, then took a deep breath. 

‘Her name is Ilia. I’ve known her since Goddesses know when, all the stuff you already read… She’s sweet, but has always been like a mule’.

‘Stubborn’.

Link nodded. ‘I liked that about her when I was fifteen, thought it was cool she didn’t take shit from no one… but she never listened when it was somethin’ important either’.

‘Aren’t all fifteen-year olds like that?’, she snorted, resting her chin on her knees.

‘I was as docile as a puppy’, Link affirmed proudly, ‘my mama and papa raised me kind. Well, the Summer after I turned sixteen, I was taming a horse Mayor Bo, Ilia’s dad, had gotten as a gift. That stallion was a tough cookie, a hell to break in...yet, Ilia wanted to ride it’.

‘I didn’t know you had such skill’, Zelda tried to picture him. ‘It’s super rad’.

‘I am fond of wild things, if you hadn’t realized’, he stared at her.

‘Thanks for the compliment’, she grinned, resting on the headboard, cheeks tinted red.

‘One afternoon, I went to see her. I had gathered all my courage because I wanted to tell her I liked her, and, to my shock, Ilia was trying to put a saddle on the stallion’, he frowned. ‘And then… the horse kicked her, it threw her across the barn…’.

‘What happened to her?’, Zelda’s eyes had widened at the image in her head.

‘I took her unconscious with her dad to the emergency with a cut on her forehead, a concussion, and two broken ribs’, he sighed, eyes on the window. ‘And, when she woke up…. she didn’t remember jack shit about anything’.

‘It should have been the trauma, right?’

‘Not just that’, he fidgeted with the hem of the blanket at Zelda’s feet, ‘she forgot about  _ me _ . I was just... wiped from her memory. No neural damage, nothing broken. I never knew of heartache until she asked me  _ “and who are you, Mister?” _ at the hospital. I cried myself to sleep that night’.

‘You took a bullet right to the heart’, Zelda whispered, stroking his bangs. ‘Knowing how sensitive you are, it should have been horrible’.

‘It was’, he sighed. ‘But in a useless attempt to help her, I started writing about us growing up… tiny stories, longer stories, bigger ones, funny ones, sad ones, drawings of those… but nothing happened. She just couldn’t remember me’.

 

Link swallowed hard, eyes watery, not yet weepy.

 

‘Despite we didn’t become distant, I was so sad and disillusioned, I just wanted to get the hell outta Ordon, and I did… I graduated early from high school, and entered Hyrule University with a scholarship, and became friends with Shad, who was my upperclassman, and encouraged me to keep writing and convinced me to send the first manuscript of  _ “The Girl of the Horse Call” _ , the rest is history’.

‘She is pretty much the reason you became a writer’, Zelda concluded.

‘Not exactly. She helped me find my call, that’s all’, he recognized, staring at the floral pattern of Zelda’s bedcover. ‘But what hurt the most for a long time is the  _ “what if’s” _ , the waste of potential, the things that got truncated by one reckless choice’.

 

Zelda interlaced her fingers with him, their foreheads touching.

 

‘Goddesses only know how much that hurts’, she sighed, and held his face to kiss him. ‘Thanks for finally telling me…’.  _ Thanks also for taking my head off my wandering thoughts. _

‘I meant to, but never found the right moment… even at the interview the question caught me flying low’, he explained. ‘I never thought my silence about it would make you so upset, I’m really, really sorry’.

‘Nevermind…’ -she kissed his forehead - ‘I can’t believe I called her characterization flat when we met, now that I know the whole story’, she affirmed, a little embarrassed.

‘You weren’t all that wrong, I did simplify her in the final version’.

‘Nevertheless, I should be less judgemental…’, she admitted. ‘Let’s go downstairs with the rest’.

‘Everyone is at the park, they went to ice skate before my peeps leave’, he chuckled. ‘Your dad’s idea’.

 

Zelda blinked.

 

‘They left us, two adults with the libido of horny teenagers, alone?’, she faked surprise, hands cupping her cheeks.

‘Yep’, Link nodded, intuing her intentions.

‘We could misbehave a little’, she bit her lip, crawling towards him.

‘Mayb-’

 

The doorbell rang.

 

‘Maybe not’, Zelda huffed, getting up, and rushing downstairs to open the door, Link after her. 

‘They got back sooner’, he observed.

‘The rink should have been closed’, she unlocked the door and opened it quickly.

  
  


Zelda blinked twice when she saw a long black fur coat in front of her eyes.

 

An amazonesquely tall, ethereally beautiful twili woman stood before her, all clad in black, her fiery red hair long, in soft waves, a crimson smile gracing her lips.

 

‘Hello darling’, she greeted Zelda with a soft, sweet voice that contrasted with her strong looks.

‘Midna’, Zelda’s voice was a whisper, paling at the sight in front of her.

 

_ I should have panicked over flowers. My hunch was right.  _

 

‘How have you been,  _ starlight _ ?’, the tall woman asked. ‘I got back from Termina two weeks ago, I owed you a visit’.

 

_ I should have panicked over flowers. She left them on my mother’s grave. _

 

Link had no idea what happened in front of him, until he heard the twili’s second statement, and muttered an almost inaudible  _ ‘oh, shit’ _ under his breath.

 

Zelda was frozen, shocked.

 

‘What’s wrong,  _ princess _ ? Is your ex-girlfriend still so beautiful you have no words left?’

 

_ I should have panicked over flowers. _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you could see, I shifted my focus from Link to Zelda.
> 
> Brace yourselves for the next chapters.


	9. Emotional Crank

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midna came back to face certain things from her common past with Zelda, and Link takes the toll.

‘Your timing is goddamn awful, did you know that?’, Zelda asked the redhead in front of her at the door of her consultation office, all prim and proper in a silk lavender blouse with a pussy bow, grey slacks and black pumps, hair loose in waves.

 

Midna frowned, her gloved left hand tossing aside her dramatic black fur-trimmed cape, and lowered its hood.

 

‘I had no fucking idea you were with your spanking new boyfriend and his family over there’, she removed her large cat-eye sunglasses. ‘So don’t scold me, starlight. A “hi” would have been better’.

‘You’re right. Sorry’, she sighed. ‘Hi, Midna’.

‘Hello, Zelda’.

‘Come in, I have coffee’, she gestured for her to enter her studio.

 

Midna went after her, tiptoeing.

Zelda served the drinks, one espresso for her and other with a little of cream, handing that cup to her ex-girlfriend, who smiled fondly at her beverage as she sat on the consultation’s chaise lounge.

 

‘Cloudy… You still know how I like it’.

‘Hard to forget, just like the way you dumped me’, Zelda leaned on her desk. ‘What brings you here? You left almost immediately after I told you I was with Link’s family’.

‘I came back from Termina because I finished my residence there, as I told you yesterday on the phone after that...  _ mishap _ in person’, she sipped her coffee, biting her tongue to not be aggressive - she also understood her reasons for acting like that. ‘I also wanted to make amends with you… I know I messed up’. 

‘You know that's an understatement, right?’, she crossed her arms over her chest. 

‘I do, starlight’. She swallowed hard. ‘I fucked up’. 

‘That is indeed more accurate’, Zelda looked at her humbling down, uncrossing her arms, and drank her coffee silently.

‘I just came back here to tell you how sorry I am... for being selfish, and not taking you into account, and… for all what happened with Mae’ -she put the cup aside after finishing it and got up- ‘I should have been there comforting you, and not looking from the shadows before running away’.

 

Zelda softened a little at those words.

 

‘In all honesty… I took you for granted’, she added. ‘I always thought you would be there for me, and I forgot you are your own woman, with your own aspirations and goals… just look at you now, so cool with your own office and stuff, like, a  _ real _ therapist!’.

‘I  _ am  _ a  _ real _ therapist, you ding-dong’, Zelda frowned again.

‘And you still don’t get a joke, you square’, Midna stuck her tongue at her. 

‘That was very mature of you,  _ Twilight Princess _ ’, Zelda snorted at her childish gesture. 

‘You still like my stage name?’, the redhead grinned.

‘It suits you well’.  _ Even if you are actually a trashy imp. _

 

An awkward silence fell between both women, Midna realizing it was time for her to leave.

 

‘That’s all I wanted to tell you. I don’t intend to get you back, I just want you to forgive me someday’, she walked towards the door. ‘And maybe, if possible, not be strangers. I don’t want you to hate me’. 

Zelda followed her. ‘Believe it or not… I don’t hate you’.  _ I really don't.  _

 

The tall redhead sighed relieved and smiled.

 

‘Can I call your dad? I really wanna see him and have a good talk’, she asked Zelda, ‘and see little ladybug… and everyone’.

‘Sure, he was really glad his “trash child” was back’, she affirmed.

 

Midna giggled at her nickname, and put on again her hood and sunglasses.

 

‘I… see you again?’, Midna asked, opening the door. 

‘Perhaps’. 

 

The redhead nodded, waved goodbye, and rushed away, her winter cape undulating on the wind. 

 

The tall twili strode through the frosted street, looking around, seeing how the places had changed since she left, and sighed. 

After a while, she felt being followed, and suddenly turned around, fearing it was a robber, but ready to confront him - or at least intimidate them with her towering over six feet height in heels. 

She saw a short man with an old green coat and beanie, recognizable blond hair and blue eyes, with a very surprised, caught-in-the-act face. 

 

‘You're the boyfriend, Zelda’s boyfriend!’, she yelled, ‘Link, right?’

 

Link just nodded, red of embarrassment up to the tips of his ears. 

 

‘You're cute’, she grinned, taking a long step towards him, ‘but you seem strangely familiar….I’ve seen you before, I swear. You look a lot like the writer on the Times too’.

‘I-I  _ am _ the w-writer on the Times’, he took off his beanie, ‘I’m Linus Wolfhardt, my real name is Link though’.

 

To Link’s chagrin and even more embarrassment, she crouched, lifting her hood off to meet his eyes.

 

‘You gotta be shitting me!’, she took off her sunglasses, incredulous. ‘You looked more…  _ glamorous _ on paper, no offense’. 

‘None taken, ma’am’, he answered nonchalantly. ‘It’s just that I clean up nicely’

 

Midna squinted, looking at him attentively.

 

‘I didn't know she liked now soft, sweet, innocent-looking guys like you’, she tilted her head sideways. ‘Her taste before was shit, and I include myself’. 

 

Link heard her statement, sort of flattered at the first part, and strangely surprised at the second.

 

_ She doesn’t seem to come to fight me, she isn’t even one bit aggressive, she’s just some odd, loud and sassy gal! _

 

‘For your looks, I can feel you thought I was ready to snatch your girl right in front of your eyes!’, she stood straight, arms crossed. ‘I’m not an angel, but I’m not _ that _ level of scum either, I have some dignity’, she tossed a lock of her bright hair aside with the back of her hand. ‘And… I like drama, but only on my makeup, my clothes, and on reality TV’.

 

Link couldn’t avoid burst into laughs at her last words. 

 

_ She’s harmless, she just wants to make up for her screw ups. I shouldn't be darn jealous of her… should I? _

 

‘You’re hella funny’.

 

_ I shouldn’t be jealous, right? _

 

‘Thank you for the compliment, cowboy’, she pointed at him doing finger guns.

‘I’m hardly a cowboy, missus’, he laughed.

‘But you’re nice, and that’s more than enough for me’, she hummed. ‘Gotta go, Mr. Writer’, and she waved him goodbye before hailing a cab.

‘If Zelda ever forgives me, we might be seeing each other more often’, she affirmed as she got on the cab and left.

 

* * *

 

 

Zelda closed the door after seeing Midna disappear, shut the door, and laid down on the chaise longue for a while, the onset of a headache forming on the back of her head, a question lingering. 

 

_ Should I forgive you, Midna?  _

_ Mom would have liked us to be friends, no matter what happened, right? _

 

_ ‘You seem to look like you’re going to tell me something, sweetie’, Maeve’s perfectly painted crimson grin was all-knowing, rivulets of cigarette smoke surrounding her. _

 

_ Every afternoon, Zelda’s mother would sit on the backyard as the sun set, and indulge on a cigarette or two, her only bad habit, despite trying to quit endless times. _

 

_ ‘I do, mama’, Zelda almost whispered, fanning the silvery smoke away. ‘But only if you put that thing away, you know how bad it is for you!’ _

 

_ Maeve sighed, and followed her daughter’s order, making some space on the yard bench next to her, patting it for Zelda to sit, her joining her mother. _

 

_ ‘Now tell me… what’s on that bright head of yours, starlight?’, she asked, stroking her daughter’s long chestnut locks. _

 

_ The young woman blushed. _

 

_ ‘I… have a crush on someone’, she admitted. ‘Someone close to us’. _

_ ‘Oh, I see’, Maeve blinked, her eyes turning to the warm colors of the setting sun. ‘Is someone of the Castle?’ -her eyebrow raised in concern- ‘Or one of the patrons?’ _

_ ‘Yes, to the first one’, Zelda fidgeted with her fingers. _

_ ‘Aha!’, Maeve giggled a cheeky laughter, sure of where the conversation was heading.  _

_ ‘Mom, what do you know?’, Zelda’s eyes widened, a mortified look on her face. _

_ ‘You know… the walls at the Castle have ears’, Maeve shrugged, her black curls bouncing off her shoulders. ‘Just like the gossip stones have always something to tell... like The Castle’s Princess looks at the Twilight Princess like someone in love’. _

_ ‘Am I that obvious?’, her daughter asked embarrassed, red to the tip of her ears. _

_ ‘Yes, but Fanadi also saw it when she was doing a reading for me the other day’, she patted Zelda’s back, ‘and I’m not blind either! She almost tripped on me when you called while we were rehearsing the other day! If I weren’t careful I would have been smashed by a falling timber!’, she almost cackled. _

 

_ Zelda laughed at the image of the tall twili stumbling over a phone call. _

 

_ ‘I really like her, and she likes me back’, she sighed, burying her face between her knees, ‘and I feel so stupidly happy’. _

_ ‘You’re in love with one hell of a gal, starlight’, Maeve sighed as she stroked Zelda’s back. ‘You know how much I care for that crazy redhead, as if she were my own’. _

_ ‘I know, mama’, Zelda smiled, resting her head on her mother’s lap, the fabric of her black and white pinafore a-line skirt rustling softly. ‘She’s family to you’. _

_ ‘More than ever, my starlight’, Maeve hummed. ‘Can I ask you a favor? It’s about her, of course’. _

_ ‘Sure, mama’, Zelda raised to face her mother. _

_ ‘No matter what happens, always keep an eye on her’, she held her daughter’s hands. ‘Midna has only us, her own family banished her for being queer, just like my parents did for being the same way '. _

_ ‘Of course, mama, she will never be alone’. _

 

* * *

After all the patients of the day were gone, Zelda stayed silent at her desk, pondering about the memories in her head, and the words Midna had told her in the morning. 

 

_ Should we be friendly, after all it’s been said and done?  _

_ She never lied, cheated on me, or treated me badly. We failed because we were selfish and immature. She recognized her mistakes, and it’s not as if I was a perfect girlfriend either… I’m still learning... _

 

A chiming tone broke her train of thought. Zelda quickly grabbed her phone, sure it was Link. She had a message.

 

**Midna**

_ It was good to talk to you again. I met your boyfriend down the street later in the morning. I set the record straight with him. He is really nice, be kind to him. xoxo _

 

‘Be kind to him, huh?’, she scoffed, and typed an answer.

 

_ I’m honoring a promise to my mother. Don’t be a stranger. Come and have lunch on a Sunday if you want. _

 

* * *

 

As the days passed, Midna slowly became closer to the Kings again, and the more time passed, the more Link realized she came with good intentions. She always approached Zelda keeping her distance, and treated him kindly - even when she called him “shorty”.

She was funny and snarky, ridiculously overreactive, and followed every single silly joke Mr. King made - he found out Agitha called her “Atlas” after a gigantic, red-winged moth! Even Ashei, the most reluctant upon her return for taking Zelda’s side after their breakup, was somehow glad to see her again.

 

She was just a prodigal daughter.

 

Yet, a knot of uneasiness slowly started building at the pit of his stomach, Link choosing to ignore it for his sanity mostly. There were other things to worry about, like the invitation-part-obligation to go to an event of his publishing house on the last Friday before new year.

 

He looked at his reflection on the bathroom mirror as he fidgeted with the cufflinks he had borrowed from Shad.

 

_ How does he wear these darn things everyday? They’re useless and uncomfortable! _

 

He almost didn’t recognize himself in the mirror: all dapper and elegant, with his hair slightly slicked back and wearing a dark gray three-piece suit, with a black overcoat.

 

_ I look so weird. At least people won’t recognize me easily in my normal clothes. _

 

The cab ride to the venue - a club near The Castle- was excruciating: his breathing was agitated, his palms started sweating, and he felt his blood go cold.

 

_ I can’t have an anxiety attack here, gotta keep my shit together for a while until I get to The Castle. Zelda will be there, everything will be fine, even if Midna is doin’ her show tonite and fooling around. _

_ They’ll be surely… together… a lot. _

_ I shouldn’t be jealous.  _

_ She isn’t a threat.  _

_ I can’t be jealous.  _ _ Zelda doesn’t love her anymore… _

_ But…  _

 

_ Does she love me? _

 

He tried to lay as low as possible at the event, but he hardly could: fans and curious guests approached him, assailing him with questions he tried to answer as briefly and politely as possible, signed some autographs - he had never given any, except to Daphnes - and smiled for the pictures.

He swore he had never been so uncomfortable before, even more after he had gotten a couple of napkins with phone numbers  _ ‘in case he wanted inspiration’ _ , which he immediately discarded.

 

_ I should have told Zelda to come with me, I wouldn’t be such a mess, would I? _ -he shook his head-  _ I can’t be so insecure, I can’t be so needy and clingy! I just need to get away from here. _

 

He made his way out after bidding Shad farewell, walking slowly to The Castle, the cold night air easing his head and calming him a little.

As he entered the main hall of The Castle, he found Midna onstage, dressed in an incredibly ornate black hooded cape with light blue stones embroidered on it on the trims, and on the back a intricate circular motif, with layers of tulle of different transparency, her hair in a half updo with ribbons that matched her hair, and ballerina pointe shoes.

The crowd  _ roared  _ for her, as she greeted them with a bow and a dashing smile.

 

‘It’s so good to be home again’, she affirmed to the public, very touched. ‘This means the world to me!’

 

The lights went off, and a soft instrumental piece began playing, only a light blue spotlight above her lit, already in position. It followed her every move on the stage, as she glided gracefully towards the edge of the scenario -she was a stunner, and as Link could confirm, her fans loved her madly.

 

_ She’s a freaking force of nature, just like Daphnes and Zelda said... _

 

‘Amazing, isn’t she?’, a well-known voice whispered into his ear.

 

He turned to find Zelda, clad in a long-sleeved mini dress covered in gold sequins, thigh-high stiletto boots, hair loose but slightly teased, her makeup soft, except for her eyes, rimmed in black eyeliner.

 

‘ _ Princess _ ’, he called by her codename. ‘She’s a hellion for sure’.

‘You look handsome’, she flattered him, but observed something was off with him. ‘You okay?’

‘Yep, just a little drained after that party’, he slouched, eyes on the stage, Zelda kissing his hair to comfort him, squeezing his hand softly.

‘Sure you don’t want to talk about it?’, she asked him tenderly.

‘No, I’m better now’.  _ I’m so messed up right now that I can’t put it into words. _

‘I see’, she answered, looking away.

 

Midna danced beautifully, moving like a feline on the stage, agile, nimble and precise; every twist and turn elegant and sensuous. She delicately danced on pointe towards the center of the stage as the instrumental piece ended, the spotlight going off.

 

‘Now the real show begins’, Zelda told Link with a smirk. ‘My mom loved these dramatic ideas of hers’.

 

He just nodded, trying to enjoy the performance, despite the unease.

An synthesizer along with electronic beats began playing, a voice, sweet and sultry, began singing.

 

_ Runaway, just come and take me anywhere _

_ Far away, you know a place? Let’s go there _

_ We're ok, just living out our fantasy _

_ So today let's go a little bit crazy _

 

Three white spotlights lit the center of the stage, Midna on it, the crystals on the cape glistening, making a sort of luminous aura around her, highlighting her light blue skin, giving her an otherworldly look as she sang to the top of her lungs.

 

_ Can you see the sunset wake up the night? _

_ Can you feel my heart here for you tonight? _

_ This is real, we're ready, let's do this right _

_ Runaway, runaway, runaway _

 

The flashes of multicolor lights went on, as Midna took off her cape revealing a top with black crystals all over it, a long black skirt with two slits to the sides.

 

_ We are fast, we're gone, we are out of sight _

_ This could last some time, we could be all night _

_ This is real, we're ready, let's do this right _

_ Runaway, runaway, runaway _

 

The crowd hollered and howled at her, as she danced and sang brilliantly.

 

Every verse she sang felt to Link like a stab in the heart, quite sure her passionate vocal performance subtly alluded to Zelda. He turned to her, and observed her face.

 

_ She’s so happy seeing her. I feel… like an intruder.  _

 

_ I’m just a rebound for her. Not a keeper. _

 

_ We are fast, we're gone, we are out of sight _

_ This could last some time, we could be all night _

_ This is real, we're ready, let's do this right _

_ Runaway, runaway, runaway _

 

She danced energetically along the breakdown, vogueing with her arms, the crowd clapping at the rhythm of the music.

 

Link started to feel the onset of something that wasn’t an anxiety attack, but something similar and unknown, jealousy, insecurity, and a sense of inferiority that washed all over him.

 

_ I can’t stand this any longer. I shouldn't be meddling between them. I need to go away. _

 

_ I’m just a rebound.  _

 

_ I should have known better. _

 

And without Zelda noticing it, Link sneaked away.

 

_ This is real, we're ready, let's do this right _

_ Runaway, runaway, runaway _

 

And the stage went dark.

 

As the spotlight went on again, as the crowd cheered and applauded delighted, Zelda looked to the side, her boyfriend nowhere to be found; she immediately worried, fearing he started feeling unwell.

As she looked for him, she crossed paths with Telma. When asked, she told Zelda she had seen him leave.

 

‘That poor boy looked incredibly heartbroken’, the singer affirmed, giving a knowing look to her.

‘Oh no’, she gasped. ‘no, no’.

‘Go after him, my dear, I’ll cover for you’, Telma patted her back.

‘Thank you’, she kissed her cheek, then rushing towards the entrance.

 

She found him almost at the end of the empty block, and grabbed him by the back of his overcoat, Link turning startled at her.

 

‘What’s wrong with you?!’, she panted, ‘I was worried!’

He looked down. ‘I’m sorry… I just wasn’t feelin’ okay’.

‘It is evident’, she huffed, ‘why?’

 

He remained silent, Zelda awaiting for him to speak in the cold winter night, her breath a cloud of condensed air.

 

'Am I meaningful to you?, he asked bitterly. ‘Or it was just some bullshit to lure me in?'

‘Of course you are’, she answered. ‘I wouldn’t be freezing in here if I weren’t’.

‘Are you sure I’m not a rebound?’, he insisted.

‘Are you jealous?’, she couldn’t believe his behavior.

‘Hard not to when I saw you look at your ex like you did’, he admitted.

‘I was looking at her show!’

‘No, Zelda, that look in your eyes is something I’ve never seen towards me’, he shook his head. ‘It made me realize something about us’.

‘What are you trying to say?’, she enquired, a fear surfacing in her heart.  _ Don’t, please, don’t. _

'I ain't your first choice. I never was, and never will’, he blurted. 

 

Zelda was speechless.  _ How can you possibly say that?!,  _ she screamed in her head.

 

Link was silent, tears pooling in his eyes.

 

‘Listen, Link, I-’

‘I love you, Zelda’, he cut her. ‘There, I finally said it’, he slouched, raking his hands over his slicked hair, messing it . ‘I am  _ consumed _ by what I feel for you.. but I am very sure you don’t feel the same way about me… I just feel I can’t get through to you’.

‘Why you say so?’, she felt her body began to numb, and words bottled up inside her throat.  _ Oh gods, this can’t be happening. You’re wrong! Midna is in the past, it’s over! I…! _

‘You probably do have unfinished business with Midna’, he assured her, turning to the street. ‘And I need to be alone for some days’, he stopped a taxi.

‘Where are you going?!’, she gasped, on the verge of tears. ‘I -’

‘Ordon’.

 

And the cab’s door shut, the car leaving before she could react.

 

_ But ...I did the fan dance for you... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I quoted two songs here. The title is after Tomppabeats track of the same name -I use a lot of his music and plenty of lo-fi hip hop to write-because it fitted excellently with the mood, and the second is 'Runaway', by Tommy February 6 (she sang Paradise Kiss' opening, 'Lonely in Gorgeous').
> 
> Sorry for cranking it up on the drama, I promise next chapter will be better, because there are two chapters left.


	10. Labyrinth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Only uncertainties surround Zelda after the argument of the prior night.

Telma hugged Zelda, who had turned into a sea of tears. 

The singer and Ashei had taken her at the manager's office, after seeing her arrive with a forlorn look at the main hall, where she burst crying.

 

'What did happen, sweetie?’, Telma asked her tenderly, offering her a glass of water.

 

Zelda took a sip, and took deep breaths to calm down.

 

‘We… had an argument’, she sighed. ‘He got suddenly jealous over Midna, he said he thought he didn’t matter to me, and left’.

‘No one gets jealous all of a sudden, my dear’,Telma stroked her back, just like Maeve did when Zelda was in turmoil. ‘That boy had been brewing it inside him for quite some time’.

‘I knew he was weird when I saw him’, Ashei huffed. ‘Shad just told me he left the party they were in a rush, and that he was really upset about something. 

‘The worst thing is that’- her eyes started welling with tears again - ‘he said he loved me, but thought I didn’t feel the same… and I couldn’t do anything to tell him he was wrong… I just froze, as he walked away’.

 

Zelda started weeping again, Ashei hugging her, along Telma.

The three women didn’t notice the door opening; as Midna entered.

 

‘Yooo-’ -she noticed what was happening - ‘oh...what is going on?’

‘They...broke up?’, Ashei sort of guessed.  

 

Midna’s rictus was one of pure fury. 

 

‘Did that  _ dwarf _ cheat on you?’, she hissed. ‘I’m going to stab him with my heels’.

‘He didn’t’, Zelda sighed. ‘He was jealous… of you’.

 

Midna looked at her, with a quizzed and indignated look on her face.

 

‘That little cunt…’, she slapped her forehead, ‘I told him I didn’t come to steal you away from him since day one! How can he be so dense?!’ 

'This is partly my fault, I was never very vocal about how I felt about him, but…’, she took a deep breath, ‘...I did something for him that was very important…’ -she broke in tears again- 'I did the fan dance for him!’

 

Telma and Midna looked at each other wide eyed, the latter redhead excusing herself, leaving the room, as Ashei wiped her friend's tears.

 

‘Do you want me to take you home?’, she offered the defeated young woman, who nodded to her friend.

 

After a hug from Telma, the raven haired woman dragged Zelda to her car, Zelda barely noticing what happened to her surroundings, until she got to her house and felt the comfort of her father's embrace, who, without further explanation - Telma had told him everything on the phone already - helped her into her room, and into her bed, where, still with her golden dress on, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

 

* * *

 

Link awoke to the sound of falling rain and chirping birds, his eyes opening to the wooden ceiling of his Ordon home.

He had arrived in the early hours of the morning -his mobile clock marked 3.37 a.m.- after going to his apartment for a couple of things before heading to the train station, where he caught the midnight train, the two-hour trip feeling like a hazy blur of colors that passed in front of his watery eyes, doing a long walk from the station to the lonely rural road where his house was, and just plopped himself into his bed.

He rubbed his eyes, swollen still, and cozied up in an old olive green sweater before heading downstairs.

On the kitchen, on a small round table, were left bread, goat cheese, butter, a bottle of milk and a bag of vegetables, all along a note:

 

_ We realized you got here. Eat something honey. -Mom _

 

He helped himself idly, just eating to keep his stomach off - the growls were loud, clear, and becoming rather annoying, but distracted him from his buzzing mind.

Once half the loaf was halfway down, the milk bottle empty, and the butter and cheese opened, partly devoured, Link's hunger settled, and his thoughts became clear again, eyes watering again, the sobs becoming uncontrollable again, burying his face on his hands.

 

_ Oh, fuck, I'm so stupid. I screwed it through and through. No way Zelda will forgive me for bein’ such an asshole. I didn't let her say anything, and ran away like a damn coward. _

_ How could I fuck up things so much? Midna was never a threat, just me being an insecure prick, as usual! _

_ Should I call her and beg her to forgive me, or should I wait a little 'till things settle down a bit?  _

 

Link held his phone, about to dial her number, but hesitated, leaving it on the table again.

In all the turmoil he was into, he was very sure of something: he had no idea of what to do.

 

* * *

 

'So that's what happened’, Daphnes hummed, sitting cross-legged at the feet of her daughter's bed, a tissue box between the two. 'For what you say, I don't think he dumped you'.

 

Zelda looked at him as if he had told her something ludicrous.

 

'Don't give your old man that look, little princess! I was in a relationship with someone for over 25 years, I know when shit hits the fan, I broke up with your mom twice!’

' _Twice?!_ ’, she asked incredulously, 'when did that happen?’

 

'When I told her I loved her, and when I proposed to her’, he crossed his arms over his chest. ‘Maeve loved her freedom, and feared I was putting her on a cage. She learned with time that marriage, and pretty much monogamy are not, because loving someone to the fullest, and _growing in love_ is the most beautiful thing in life’.

 

Zelda was impressed at her father's confession. 'Why didn't you tell me this before?’

'Because I didn't think it was necessary, now it is’, he affirmed, ‘and you are _adult enough_ to _understand_ ’.

'You sounded like mom', Zelda chuckled.

'Of course I do, I'll always be her other half’, he admitted proudly. 'My child, think of love as a beautiful labyrinth in which you both enter on opposite points, and you got to meet each other at the center. You will meet a lot of dead ends to find your rendezvous point, and you got to work hard to find each other, but when you do, it’s wonderful’, he shrugged. ‘Although obviously, If you aren't careful, you can get irredeemably lost and heartbroken’.

‘I am pretty much…  _ definitely _ lost right now’, she sighed, plopping herself over the pillows.

‘I don’t think so’, he got up from the bed. ‘You’ve got to ask yourself the most important question of all this’.

‘Which is..?’, she scratched her messy head.

‘Do you love Link?’, he asked his daughter. ‘I think he deserves an answer from you, not what _I’m sure_ you’re going to do give me now’.

 

Zelda stayed silent.

 

‘See? That stillness of yours is lethal, honey’, he pointed at her. ‘You need to think about that before making any decision’, Daphnes stated before leaving his daughter to her own thoughts.

 

* * *

 

Link raised his head, after losing track of time, eyes stinging and swollen.

It was 3.48 in the afternoon. Looking at the time, realizing he had been in a blur for hours, Link decided he should stop crying for a while, at least until his eyes looked less red.

He took a shower, put on some warm clothes and boots, and went for a stroll the woods, to his favorite place in all of the area: a spring older than time, where local myths said the guardian spirit of Ordon, the goat Ordona, resided there, and that at night, if you were lucky, you could see fairies flying over the surface of the calm, translucent waters.

Link remembers seeing them as a child, during a summer night, when he, along Ilia and Fado went there, doing a sort of test of courage, and hid behind the bushes.

 

_ Everything was so simple back then… we were so naive and silly. _

 

He started feeling calmer, bit by bit, the sounds of nature soothing his mind, and beginning to making him fall asleep, not noticing the crunch of steps over dead leaves.

 

‘Link?’, the chime of a feminine voice startled him, not turning to face the person calling him.

 

_ Fuck no. The Goddesses hate me lately. _

 

‘Is that you, Link?’, the female voice sounded closer.

 

_ Sheesh, I shouldn’t have left home. Better be a decent guy and say hi anyway. _

 

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and turned to see his interlocutor.

 

‘Ilia’, he smiled weakly, waving at her. ‘Long time no see’.

 

The gamine, short-haired young woman in a long, colorful sweater dress, leggings, and brown boots waved back, sitting next to him.

 

‘Sure thing, city slicker’, she giggled. ‘Last time you visited was for harvest’.

 

Link, nodded to her words.  _ Three weeks before I met Zelda. _

 

‘Yeah, I owed y’all a visit’.  _ Lies, I’m wallowing like a soap opera drama queen. _

‘I met auntie Uli downtown, she told me you got here last night’, she played idly with the fringe of the hem of the dress. 

‘Yep’, he affirmed idly.  _ I arrived at the ass-crack of dawn sobbing like a child, but mom probably spared ya the dreadful details. _

‘She also told me last week you have a lovely girlfriend!’, she gave his shoulder a soft nudge. ‘Way to go, lucky guy! You even talked ‘bout her on the newspaper!’

‘Yeah, she is’, he gave her a fake laugh.  _ Probably ex-girlfriend by now. Not even gonna comment on that. _

 

Ilia’s eyebrow raised. 

 

‘You don’t sound happy’, she observed. ‘And that even if my knowledge of you is still quite reduced’.

‘Well, that’s…’ -he sighed- ‘true’, he answered, too tired to hide the facts. ‘We had a fight over some stupid shit I did… I got unnecessarily jealous’. 

‘I betcha you were overthinking like you always do’, she chuckled.

‘Gotcha’, he clicked his tongue. 'Came 'ere for some peace of mind’.

‘Well’, she looked at the spring waters, ‘things between couples can get bumpy in the first stages, better call her and say sorry before things go sour!’

 

_ Maybe she can help me out a little. I need a sorta objective point of view of this whole mess. _

 

‘If ya don’t mind the meddlin’... Do Fado and you argue a lot?’, he asked curious about the relationship his friends had, which had developed after Link had left for college. 

 

Link remembered the blow he felt when they told him, comparing it to what he felt right at the moment, and confirmed something to himself:  _ I didn’t know how true heartbreak felt like _ .

 

‘We do, not a whole lotta lot, but we make up fast’, she smiled. ‘We’ve known each other since…’-she stopped, realizing her wording might be inconsiderate towards Link.

‘ _Forever_ ’, he completed her idea. 'It's okay to say it. It's fine, don't feel awkward anymore’.

'Alright’, Ilia sighed, relieved she didn't have to be picky with words. 'Also we try to row the boat to the same side of the stream, even if we have disagreements. If… she really loves and understands you, she’ll reach you’.

‘But  _ I _ screwed up’, Link cleared out. ‘I pretty much threw a fit and ran away’.

Ilia laughed, not believing his words. ‘You were rotten to the core with jealousy then! You have never been a man of fits, everybody knows that!’

‘But I did’, his shoulders slouched. ‘I didn’t think, and fucked things up…’- he sighed, containing successfully his tears- ‘she’s amazing, Ilia. You’d love her’.

She nodded and gave him a little smile. ‘And  _ you _ used to call  _ me _ reckless’, the petite woman looked at her watch. ‘How tables have turned, huh, Mr. Fancy Writer?’

‘Yep’, he said embarrassed.

‘Well, if she knows you well, she’ll know how to handle you’, she patted his back, and got up. ‘She’ll throw you a lasso, take you back with her, and  you’ll go back to be the sweet, quiet, and gentle guy you have always been’.

‘May Hylia hear your words, dearest’, Link followed suit.

‘Gotta go, dear. My shift at the hospital begins in over an hour’, she hugged him. ‘Good luck with your mystery lady’.

Link reciprocated her, and chuckled at her description. ‘Thank you’.

 

She let go, and with light steps left, but suddenly stopping when she remembered something.

 

‘Thanks for saying I’ll always be special to you’, she smiled fondly. ‘I promise I’ll always remember that’.

 

And for the first time in the last hours, he felt better.

He didn’t wanted to keep crying, just get things together and make it work.

With his energy a little higher, he rushed back to his house, looking at the sky that slowly started to get covered by the dark grays and steely blues of stormy weather, to pick the axe and go collect some wood for the fireplace.

Before he left he realized he had a notification: a voice message of an unknown number.

 

_ I’ll pick it up later, no idea who it might be,  _ he affirmed, putting on a thick denim jacket with shearling lining and neck, going outside as quick as he left, pressing the play button to listen to it while he chopped some wood.

The first thing he heard was silence, to his surprise, thinking it was just a phone that was dialed by accident, and then…

 

A _very_ familiar voice.

 

_ ‘ANSWER YOUR FUCKING PHONE, YOU CLOD! WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU? LORULE?! KOHOLINT ISLAND?! YOUR DAMN SIGNAL IS SO SHITTY!’ _

 

_ Midna?! _

 

And the tiny speck of calm he was feeling vanished in a second.

* * *

 

 

Zelda, over half an hour later after talking with her father, realized that lying in bed, still in last night’s clothes, with her eyeliner horribly smudged and her hair turned into a mess, wouldn’t do anything to help her think.

 

But at least she had a mental list of what to _do_.

 

Instead of wallowing of feeling sorry for herself, she got up, took a bath, dressed in a simple floral blouse, a gray cardigan, and jeans, walking in socks in her room while she rescheduled Monday’s appointments, Zelda searched for a pair of wellies on her closet.

Once found and clad with the waterproof shoes, she went downstairs, meeting Daphnes, Midna, Agitha and Telma in the kitchen, all baking an apple pie.

 

‘Dad, where are the raincoats?’

‘On the garage, hanged, why?’, Mr. King shrugged, the women looking curious, but Agitha giving her elder sister a knowing look.

‘I… am going to Ordon’, she stated. ‘If I leave now, I’ll arrive before sunset’.

Daphnes let out a ridiculous shriek, to her daughter’s embarrassment. ‘Omigod, that’s SO romantic!’ -he picked the car keys out of his pocket and handed them to Zelda- ‘there you go honey!’

‘Thanks, dad’, she hummed a laugh, eyes now on Midna. ‘Can we talk a little before I leave?’

‘Sure, girl’, she chomped an apple slice and followed Zelda to the garage.

 

‘You don’t think this is stupid?’, she asked, trying on a bright yellow raincoat, that fit her loosely, but would work for the purpose.

‘Not at all’, the redhead shook her head. ‘If you had done that for me, either I would have had the biggest contract infringement on Termina and ended up a poor hoe, or you would have had to do all the paperwork to transfer your cute bum to Clocktown Uni’, she sighed. ‘Either case, we would still be together… or we would have broken up for other reasons, who knows’.

Zelda nodded at her words. ‘It would have sucked less though’.

‘Maybe’, Midna shrugged, the fringe on the sleeves of her black sweater waving with her movement.

‘I’m sorry… for everything’, she looked at her ex in the eye, Midna on the verge of tears at the words. ‘I really mean it. I realized I was selfish, and you didn’t deserve it, even when whe had our disagreements. You were kind to me’.

‘I’m sorry too’, Midna sobbed, ‘but you already know that’.

Zelda gave her a tight hug. ‘Don’t cry for this stupid hylian woman’.

‘They are just happy tears, starlight’, Midna squeezed her tight before breaking the embrace. ‘And you are hardly stupid, you’re following your heart’.

Zelda nodded. ‘Thank you’, and pushed the opening button of the garage.

‘Bring back that silly guy’, she winked at her, waving goodbye. ‘Godspeed, Princess’.

‘See you later, Midna’, she bid the twili goodbye, getting into the car, and leaving at fast as possible.

 

* * *

 

Link had a ridiculously large bundle of firewood he had cut out of sheer anxiety, after listening to the voicemail he had received from the twili.

He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Between the sobs, the weird words and the petty insults, he was clear of her freshly brewed animosity towards him.

 

_ Midna is nuts. That’s for sure. And what’s a twink? Aren’t they those vanilla cakes with cream that never rot? At least she is clear that she now hates my guts. _

 

He walked back to the house while the rain was starting to get more intense, not caring if he got wet or not.

Near the house, he saw a figure on a raincoat with a hood, heading up the road.

 

_ Who the heck is that? Probs a lost traveler… or someone whose car broke down. _

 

He quickened his pace, in order to help the stranger.

 

‘Heyo!’, he shouted, ‘Whatcha lookin’ for, mate?’

 

The hooded person turned to him, and removed the hood.

 

Brown hair. 

 

Fair skin. 

 

Eyes the color of storm clouds, a little reddened.

 

And Link, eyes widening, thought his heart would come out of his chest when he saw who it was.

 

 

‘Zelda’, he gasped. ‘Whatcha doin’ here?’

 

‘Hello, Link. We need to talk’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is after Mondo Grosso's lovely track 'Labyrinth'. It has a very nightly vibe, and a even more gorgeous videoclip, check it on youtube.
> 
> I wanted to switch persepctives, to hide certain situations that will be revealed on the next - and last probably- chapter! (I might split it in two or not)


	11. The Treehouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda arrived to Ordon, to Link astonishment.

After a long time on the road and getting a little lost, a blue vintage car was parked to the side of the main road, a woman getting out of it to check on her phone the map to confirm if her location was finally right.

Zelda found herself on the entry of a ranch with a signal that said ' _ Graham House _ ’, a small dirt road ahead of her.

Rain was starting to pour down, so she covered her head with the large hood and began walking up the slightly sloped trail, glad she could move her legs again, after driving for over two hours.

Ordon, in her eyes, was impressively beautiful: the hues of the evergreen trees mixed with the muted browns and grays of the deciduous ones, everything lush and full of life to the brim, even in the middle of winter.

After some minutes walking, a two storey house caught her attention, small and whimsical, for it was rounded on the front, and it was built around a large evergreen tree.

 

‘Heyo!’, a male voice with a familiar accent shouted, approaching her. ‘Whatcha lookin’ for, mate?’

 

She turned to look at the source… and she couldn’t be any happier to see who it was, even if it was too unexpected for her.

 

_ Link. _

 

Axe and bundle of firewood on his hands, dressed in a flannel shirt, a green sweater, old, worn jeans, a shearling denim jacket, and old, laced up brown boots. His hair was damp by the rain, and his eyes, bluer than ever, even if they were red and glassy.

She lifted off her hood for him to notice her, Zelda's heart beating fast, the heat creeping up her neck subdued to the cold, not letting her cheeks be as red as they could be.

His widened eyes told her it was  _ definitely not _ what he expected.

 

‘Zelda’, he gasped. ‘Whatcha doin’ here?’   
  
‘Hello, Link. We need to talk’. She sighed and made a pause, very dignified, not breaking eye contact with him. 

 

_ You can do this without panicking, without acting like a total mess or having a breakdown in front of him. You totally practiced this on the car...  _ _ Who am I kidding?! I just freaked out and cried all the way while listening sad songs while drinking too much coffee! _

 

_ Why in all of the possible outcomes, I had to meet him right away?! _

 

_ Oh gods, Zelda. Get your shit together. Tell him how you feel. He needs to know. _

  
  


'Actually…’, she took a deep breath to ease her nerves, ‘I need you to just  _ listen _ to me, even if you don't want to see me anymore’, she swallowed hard. 'I… came to say I'm sorry. I regret not being clear about my feelings for you… you didn't deserve that, truly’.

 

Link took a deep breath, preparing for the worst, trying to articulate some idea that didn't make him sound like a confused mess.

 

'You came all the way here, wow’, he sighed nervous, ‘but I should apologize too for bein’ a major twat'.  _ Better say sorry like a gent before getting axed. _

 

She gave him a little smile and nodded.

 

'I am sorry I hurt you. You are the most good-hearted, tender, kind and righteous man I have ever met…’, she looked down. ‘I realized that I even though I treated you kindly, it was not enough, because it didn't make you  _ feel  _ loved, and...'- she stopped, and swallowed hard, choking a sob - 'I just…’

 

He was mute, looking dead serious.

 

'I just wanted to tell you that’- she shut her eyes, overwhelmed by emotion- ‘I _ love  _ you, I really do, even if… maybe... you don't feel the same for me anymore’, she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘I just came to tell you that'.  _ There. I finally said it. _

 

He was still in silence, his eyes giving away he was moved, and approached to face her closer, dropping the axe and logs on the ground.

 

'You make some darn wild assumptions, dontcha woman?', he huffed, his cheeks tinted pink, hands on the pockets of his jacket.

'Wild..?', Zelda blurted wiping brusquely her cheeks, a tad befuddled.

'W-who the heck told you I didn't ...I didn’t love ya anymore? Midna? Y-your dad?’, he asked with a shaky tone, taking one hand out of his pocket, scratching his head,very nervous. ‘I didn't even dumped ya, I thought  _ you _ were gonna dump me rite now for being an idiot!'

'But...'

'I went here first because I didn't think twice, I was completely blocked out’, he admitted. ‘I was scared, and confused, and I needed to be less stupid…’ -he sighed- ‘I thought you needed time to clear your head too...but then I started thinking you were totally gonna cut me outta yer life, and  _ reaaaally  _ freaked out’.

 

Zelda was impressed at his confession - she could imagine him perfectly, a perfect disaster all alone with his thoughts.

 

'Zelda, can you forgive this stupid man for not believein’ you loved him?', he gave her this look of absolute adoration.

 

She nodded, now happy tears running down her face.

 

'Come 'ere, woman', he grabbed her hand, cupped her face with the free one, pulling her close, giving her a kiss, full of longing and contained emotions.

 

She melted against him, so warm against her cold body, and clung to him tight, relieved to have him close again.

Once they broke the kiss, Zelda noticed something was off, and looked down.

 

'You're standing on your tiptoes’, she chuckled.

'Gotta be smooth to not ruin it, don’tcha think?’, he grinned, smooching her.

'You're such a dork’, she laughed, ‘I lo-', suddenly slipping in the mud, both losing balance when she held to him, forgetting that he was still tiptoeing, the two of them landing on the ground, bursting in giggles and snorts.

‘Well, at least we fell together’, Link looked at both of them, all sprinkled with mud.

 

Zelda groaned pitifully, nodding, then giggling again.

 

‘Let’s go to the house, we’re soaked too’, he got up, helping her get back on her feet. ‘Even if you are a little less with that raincoat’.

‘It’s not very useful if you lift the hood like I did’, she pouted, looking at her messed up clothes.

 

Both walked hand by hand towards the small house that had caught her attention, entering by the back door, leaving muddy boots, coat and jacket hung on a couple of hooks at the entrance. 

Zelda was impressed at the interior of it: the furniture was simple but beautifully made, all in natural wood using different types to have nice color contrasts, crafted with care and skill.

 

'Welcome to the Treehouse, Miss King’, he made a curtsy, jokingly. ‘I hope everything is of your liking’.

She giggled. 'it's lovely and warm, it's perfect’.

 

Link signaled for her to take a seat, as he heated up some water on the firewood kitchen to make tea for both of them.

 

'Now we can talk’, he sighed.

 

Zelda hummed affirmatively. 

 

'When, or what, made you realize you loved me?, He asked, sitting in front of her, holding her still mudded hands.

'I don't know the exact moment, but I knew things were different, in a good way, after I told you about my mother's death’, she rubbed his rough knuckles with her thumbs. ‘I woke up in the morning, and you were singing a song in the kitchen, and it smelled of fresh coffee and toast...I got up and saw you on the hallway, coming out with a tray, all bathed in sunlight, and you looked so  _ beautiful _ , a sort of earthly beautiful, of cotidianity, and domesticity, and it felt like home.  _ You _ felt like home’.

 

Link found himself, once again, on the verge of tears - but of joy this time.

 

'I am not a woman who loves easily and fast, I have told you that’, her eyes met his, 'but with you, everything is faster, better, more intense, and a word that had never come to my mind appeared’.

'Which one?’, he let go of her hands,wiping stray tears off his face.

'Forever’, she said with a smile, kneeling before him. 'I wanna be with you as long as that means’.

 

She kissed him tenderly, cupping his face on her hands; he held Zelda and raised her to sit on his lap, hugging her close, resting his head on her chest after breaking the kiss.

 

'I should be more careful, the last time we were like this, five minutes later we were naked on my bed’, he commented with a singsong laugh.

‘But now we're muddy and soaked, so it's pretty much  _ not _ sexy at all’, she giggled, then kissing his damp hair. ‘I'd better get cleaned up before your parents arrive’. 

‘They're not coming anytime soon’, he commented casually.

Zelda’s brow raised, completely quizzed. ‘Umm… why?’

 

Link met her eyes, knowing his answer would surprise her.

 

‘This is  _ my _ house’. 

 

Zelda's lovely eyes went round and wide of surprise, jaw hung open, lips in a gasp, shoulders slouched.

 

'My parents’ house is a five-minute walk from here, in the same plot of land though’, he explained, extremely amused at her reaction; “mind blown” was an understatement. 'This used to be my treehouse, but dad and I sort of  _ expanded _ it through time’.

'But… when you mentioned it... I always thought the treehouse...was’- she drew with her finger in the air a stick house - 'tiny? Like, not this big’.

‘Everything’s bigger in Ordon’, he joked with a local saying.

‘I know’, she affirmed knowingly, both bursting into laughs.

'Go wash your hands and dry your head, gorgeous, the bathroom is upstairs’, he patted her rear, ‘Don’t want ya to catch a cold. I'll make some tea to warm us up’.

'Can I borrow some clothes too? These need to  dry up a lot’.

'Sure thang, go upstairs’, he grinned, ‘I’ll go after ya, gotta leave that tea brewing and clean up too’.

 

Zelda found her way walking up the staircase that snaked around the tree trunk and took her to the upper floor, a mansard roof with two rooms and a bathroom. The larger one was Link's, simply furnished with a desk, a chest of drawers and a bed, placed in the corner, next to the window.

She washed her hands and her face, Link handing her a towel to dry her head while he searched for another for him, clothes for both of them already on the bed.

 

'Here’, she came towards him, and toweled his head with the dry side of the one she had used, Link enjoying the soft, round movements of her hands, relaxed under her touch, almost purring.

'I love it’, he grinned, leaning against her.

'I love you’, she answered, the words feeling like music to his ears.

'Say it again, please’, his head rose, him taking the towel off his head.

 

She giggled.

 

'I love  _ you _ ’, she affirmed, kissing him softly.

‘Again’, he kissed her back.

‘I love you’.

‘I love you too’.

 

They kissed again, more intensely, bodies closer. Humid, open-mouthed ones gave way to teasing tongues and biting lips, as hands clutched to each other.

One look was enough for them to know where things were leading to.

 

Zelda began unbuttoning her floral print shirt, revealing a simple black lace bralette underneath it, leaving the discarded garment on the desk chair. Link followed her, flannel shirt and undershirt thrown to the floor, holding her against the desk as he placed kisses on her neck, Zelda melting against him.

 

‘I missed your warmth’, she murmured against his ear.

‘I missed all of ya’, he unbuttoned her jeans, undoing the zipper, hands cupping her rear to slide them down her legs. ‘Sorry if I’m all greedy now’.

 

She hummed a soft laugh, as she kicked her pants and socks aside. ‘It is fine in this case’,  and her thumbs slipped down the sides of her simple black panties, the piece of underwear joining her jeans in a second. Zelda sat on the edge, her legs open enough for him to take position.

Her hands quickly undid the buckle of his jeans, nimble fingers undoing the button and zipping them down, reaching for his length, stroking him gently, knowing slight touches were his favorite.

 

‘I’m not in that mood now’, he grabbed her wrist softly, placing her hand to her side on the desk, then taking his hardness and placing himself on her slit, entering her in one push that made her almost go blank of sheer pleasure, her arms clinging to his neck, nails digging on his shoulders, and a soft whimper her only retaliation.

 

He grabbed her hips, thrusting harder, a deeper moan leaving her lips every time, now Zelda supporting herself on the board of the desk, rewarding her beloved a full view of her body as he took her.

 

‘You are exquisite’, he held her by the back of her neck, giving her an open-mouthed, wet, lustful kiss that left her shivering. 

‘Take me to the bed’, she begged softly, biting her lip. ‘I wanna ride you so hard, so badly’.

‘You wanna cum’, he smirked, fingers raking her hair. ‘So eager’.

‘I want to ride the life out of you before making the both of us come’, she teased, crossing her legs around his hips, a groan trapped on his throat at her gesture.

‘I’m all yours, do as you please with me’, he hushed against her neck, pulling out and lifting her from the desk, ‘but before’ -he turned her around, pulling together her messy mane, twisting it around his right hand, penetrating her from behind- ‘allow me a little craving’.

 

Zelda bit her lip, a muffled moan her answer to his actions.  _ You’re being an absolute dirty horndog and I love it. _

 

He moved slowly, grinding his hips against her, knowing her delight by her tense arms and the side glances she was giving him.

 

‘Take me... to the bed’, she sighed, in a borderline orgasmic tone. 

 

He kissed her shoulder, let go of her hair, and pulled out, taking off his pants and sitting across the bed as she turned to catch her breath.

 

‘Come ‘ere’, he patted the bed.

Zelda couldn’t believe her eyes. ‘For all the gods, you’re such a tease, Link’, she huffed, climbing on to the bed, straddling him as she let herself down on him, a pleased growl with her name his reaction.

‘Learned from the best, gorgeous’, he grinned, as he placed his hands on her thighs.

 

She moved in circular motions, her cadence in crescendo as pleasure built up in her loins; Link teasing her breasts and nipples through the thin lace of her bralette, fighting the urge to rip it off and lick, suck and bite her skin to his heart’s content.

 

‘Come, sit’, she panted, as she felt the pulsion of the point of no return, Link obeying her immediately, one hand on her waist, the other lowering her face for a hungry kiss, as her hips moved mercilessly against him, her orgasm hitting her first, waves of pleasure washing over her, dragging Link with her as he thrusted against her while her body pulsed and trembled, his voice a deep moan against her blissed sighs.

 

Both, exhausted, crumbled against the mattress, sweating and panting.

 

‘You alive?’, Link’s head rose to see Zelda’s face, a satisfied expression all over her face.

‘Yeah, just waiting for my soul to come back to my body’, she cuddled against his chest. 

‘You were ungodly sexy’, he squeezed her in his arms.

‘Likewise, you sinful piece of pumpkin pie’, she giggled, getting off him and lying on her side, raising herself to meet his eyes closely, smiling happily. ‘I love you’.

He grinned at her words, and gave her a peck on the lips. ‘I love you too’.

 

They cuddled down the covers and rested in silence, her head on his chest, listening to the rain that fell more intensely than ever.

 

‘You better stay here tonight, I don’t want ya to drive in this helluva storm’, he told her. ‘Call Daphnes, the signal is kinda freaky here, more on this weather’.

 

Zelda nodded, crawling down the sheets, her arm reaching for her phone, still on her jeans’ front pocket, and sitting on the bed, she typed a quick message.

 

‘Talking ‘bout messages, I got one from Midna right before I met you down the road’, Link sat next to her.

‘What?!’, she asked, worried about what she could have told him.

‘It was enlightening towards something I didn’t know about you, but it made me even more confused than I already was’, he affirmed. ‘And then, bam, you were almost at my door’.

Link picked his boxers from the floor and put them on, and walked towards his desk, tapping at something on his mobile. ‘Listen to this, please’.

 

Zelda braced herself for whatever the hell she had told him.

 

_ ‘ANSWER YOUR FUCKING PHONE, YOU CLOD! WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU? LORULE?! KOHOLINT ISLAND?! YOUR DAMN SIGNAL IS SO SHITTY!’ -she panted- ‘You cunt, I'm so mad at you right now! Jovani, hit me with a double whiskey, straight as I’ll never be! -she gulped and  hissed- She did the fan dance for you, do you even know what that means? Of course not, you pint-sized twink! Maeve stopped doing it after she fell in love at fucking first sight with pop Daphnes! She taught her with one condition: ‘do it only for the one you love’, and she did it for you! For you, ungrateful twat! On your fucking birthday! I remember! You were the guy I joked with at the bar! Do you think she did it before? NOOO! She NEVER did it for anybody, lest for me, and Hylia knows -all the gods and goddesses know! - I loved her with every inch of my soul, and I will never, ever forgive you if you break her heart, you heard me well, you clod! So you better say you’re sorry or I’ll bitchslap you, CLOD! _ ’.

 

‘I am so going to stab her with her stilettos, and then hug her’, Zelda laughed, embarrassed. ‘She probably sent this last night, she arrived with a hangover face to lunch’.

‘At least I understood some things better, like how important it was the dance you did for me’, he shrugged, smiling at the memory of his girlfriend surrounded by nothing but feathers. ‘Others, I have no idea… what’s a ‘twink’? They are those vanilla cream rolls, right?’

 

Zelda couldn’t contain her laugh.

 

‘Goddesses, and I thought I took your virginity three months ago’, she rolled on the bed, and patted a spot next to her. ‘I’ll have to explain you something’.

  
After a brief explanation, and an indignated gasp, Link thought that at least to his girlfriend, he had to prove  _ he was not _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not yet the finale! I decided to split it up in two parts, this is the first one. The second part and the epilogue will be posted during he next weeks -with plenty of smutty delights.


	12. Showtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A story ends, and another begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a long time, and lots of inconveniences along the way, this story is finished!
> 
> But not yet! I'm making a little epilogue, full of laughs mostly.
> 
> Thanks for your patience and all the love!
> 
> The song quoted is Mason ft. Princess Superstat - Perfect (Exceeder), one of my fave edm tunes (which has a campy video which I happen to love).
> 
> Extra note: always picture the 'novel' sections with Link and Zelda too.

_ Four, three, two, one, _

_ Four, three, two, one _

 

_ One, two, three, woo! _

 

_ One , two, three, four _

_ Lemme hear ya scream if you want some more,  _

_ Push it, push it, _

_ Watch me work it, I’m perfect! _

 

_ the song chanted loud all over the place, the bass of the beat thumping all over me, even more if you happen to be front row -perks of befriending a showgirl and her bunch of wild friends. The ambient is sort of electric, everyone awaiting for Playgirl to show up. _

 

_ The music is unusual, for she prefers old time tunes and melodies, more according with her classic, elegant style of performance. _

 

_ And she appears in blue overalls, her long golden brown hair in  twintails, a truck driver cap and sneakers, her lips in glossy bright red lipstick, lashes thick and dark, liquid eyeliner framing her lovely eyes. _

 

_ The audience howls, men and women glueing their eyes to her, who walks down the catwalk of the stage like a queen of the night as she zips down her overalls up to her navel, a white crop top and denim booty shorts peeking. _

 

_ She almost ripped the garment, her form free from the bulk, tossing the cap to the crowd while she moves smoothly, shamelessly, exuding sensuality in every action. _

 

_ I was front row under her request - I had no idea of her kind of performance today - mesmerized as much as the rest, never expecting her to pull such a racy, tongue-in-cheek stunt - and still not be trashy. _

 

_ She is such a soft, serene, happy, even almost demure woman outside this place, it surprises me more, especially when her eyes do not meet a point in the distance as usual, but do meet mine, as if it was a sort of provocation. _

 

_ If it is, she should know it’s working perfectly.  _

 

_ I feel like the wolf of those old cartoons, way less dapper, way more horny: I swear the little piece of buttock that peeks out of her booty shorts begs to be bitten, and the plunge of the cleavage of the white crop top to be licked.  _

 

_ The song plays, the singer laughs while she hums ‘perfection’ before the breakdown, and heck yeah, that’s what she is.  _

 

_ She approaches the center of the stage, where an old car and two buckets appear -the backstage guys are insane. She climbs on the hood of the car with a wet sponge she took from one of them, and lathers the car in all fours, her body with sprinkles of bubbles and foam, top stuck to her body, transparent by the wetness - she wears a red string bikini top under it, her nipples hard and very visible. _

 

_ And then she slides off the hood, grabs a bucket, gets on the car again, and on her knees over the hood, her back arching beautifully, and proceeds to pour its contents. _

 

_ Over... her. _

 

_ All I see is wetness: wet hair, wet skin, wet clothes, her crimson smirk and her eyes piercing me as her hips sway to the beats. _

 

_ She jumps from the car to the catwalk, crawling forward, eyes with a glow I can only recognize as lust. She undoes the knot on the back of her string bikini, pulls it from the back of her neck and tosses it to me, blows a kiss and winks as she struts back to the stage with the last notes of the song. _

 

_ The crowd applauds wildly, and I just stay still like an idiot, eyes wide, jaw on the floor, my blood boiling, the red bikini top in my hands. _

 

_ It took me 13 minutes and 45 seconds - the following two performances - to come to my senses, only because she approached me to wake me up from my stupor. _

 

_ ‘Quite dazzled, aren’t we?’, Playgirl giggled, now dressed in a simple black sequined mini dress, leather jacket, and ankle booties, her makeup barely there, just some color on her cheeks and lips. _

 

_ I just nodded like a dork.  _

 

_ ‘Today is a special day for me, and I wanted to make something different’, she stated proudly. ‘I’d like to go somewhere with you’. _

 

_ Another bomb in my head. I just say yes, and ask where. _

 

_ ‘My apartment’, she gives me a sunny smile, ‘I’m leaving in five minutes, wanna come?’ _

 

_ That was something unexpected. She never lets any customer enter her private world -even if I’m on a sort of grey area. _

 

_ She always came to my place, whether it was for a friendly talk, her “lessons”, or whenever she was with the blues, when she only came for a silent embrace while sitting on the windowsill, the sun on her back. _

 

_ ‘Of course’. _

 

_ The night was warm and with light breeze, perfect for a walk to soothe my already shaken heart and for friendly banter, which is thousands of times better and funnier with her. _

 

_ Less than half an hour on foot, we were at the door of an old, but beautiful building by the riverside, next to a small park, full of greenery and flowers in bloom. We climbed the stairs to the third floor, where she lives. _

 

_ The apartment is small and not crowded with furniture, but is neat, orderly and cozy, colored with warm beiges and pastels that invited to relax. _

 

_ I sat on a stool after she gestured for me to take a seat on the counter, as she boiled some water on the electric kettle, and took a small, elaborately decorated cake from the fridge, putting it on between us. _

 

_ ‘What time is it?’, she asked, as she took some cake forks and dishes. _

 

_ ‘Five minutes to midnight’, I check my watch. ‘Why?’ _

 

_ ‘It’s my birthday’, she grinned, sitting on another stool, right in front of me. ‘Tomorrow, in five, you get it’. _

 

_ I couldn’t believe her words. I excused profusely for not knowing the date, nor having a gift. _

 

_ ‘Your company is more than enough’, she affirmed happily, ‘I wanted to share this with you’. _

 

_ She fell silent, a nervous look on her face all of a sudden. _

 

_ ‘Wolfie… how do you feel about me, after all this time, and what has happened between us?’, she asked timidly, her cheeks tinted pink, making her look adorably bashful. 'About the real me, Zara, not Playgirl’. _

 

_ My heart started beating fast, my head trying to find the right words, not blurting any stupidity that just came to my head. _

 

_ ‘I think Zara is... sweet, assertive, and bubbly, a little shy with some people, luckily not me’, I began, ‘and I’m really happy I got to know her in many, many ways -both laughed at the double entendre-  and see her place, which is as lovely and warm as she is’. _

 

_ She smiled fondly - those smiles that will surely be the death of me - and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. _

 

_ My head started buzzing a ‘tell her, tell her, tell her the truth! Tell her you've been in love with her for the last year and a half! You won’t lose anything!’ -well, maybe my dignity will take a blow after being politely rejected- 'it's worth the shot!’ _

 

_ ‘I think Playgirl, on the other hand, is cool and witty, a bombshell, incandescently sexy, perfectly and exquisitely erotic’ -I gave her back the bikini top I still had in my pocket, and she burst in giggles- ‘but, although she is indeed a part of you, she is a fantasy. Zara isn't 'cause she is… imperfect, flawed, just like anyone else, and life has not treated her well. But, instead of bitter and cynical, she became beautiful, resilient, and warm… what I wanna mean is that…’, I sighed, and after a deep breath concluding with an ‘I love Zara’, feeling a tiny weight off my mind.  _

 

_ Her eyes watered, and she sighed deeply, smiling through tears.  _

 

_ ‘I love you too, Wolfie’, she blurted. ‘I really do’. _

 

_ I felt my heart skip a beat, her eyes transparent as the waters of a creek.  _

 

_ 'I had been gathering courage to tell you for a very long time...almost a year perhaps? I felt different about you after we stopped having sex... I couldn't find the right time, since we mostly meet at the club’, she confessed, as she wiped out a stray tear. ‘You know how things are there, you are a patron when you visit, but you are so much more than that to me, you slowly broke that threshold...and... I know not everyone wants to date someone like me, because I'll keep doing what I love for as long as possible’. _

 

_ 'I do’, I got up, stepped forward, and smooched her cheek, still damp. 'I'd love to be with someone like you’. _

 

_ She gave me a smile full of joy. _

 

_ I looked at the kitchen clock on the wall. 12:03 a.m. _

 

_ ‘Happy birthday, Zara’, I hugged her tightly, feeling like the happiest bloke of the known universe. _

 

_ 'Thank you, Wolfie’, she stroked my cheeks, and held my face for a kiss. _

 

_ It was not like the dirty, hungry kisses we stole from each other at her booth, or hiding in a dark corner of the club. _

 

_ It was tender, loving, soft. Intimate. As if we had just kissed for the very first time. _

 

_ I finally felt we belonged to each other. _

 

_ ‘Would you spend the night with me?’, she asked shyly. 'I just...want to sleep with you’. _

 

_ ‘Sure thang’, I grinned like a dork, 'I'd love to, even if you had other intentions’. _

 

_ 'The cheekiness never leaves you, does it?’, my Zara giggled, leaving my side just to cut a couple of cake slices. 'You are supposed to act your age, Mr. Twenty-something’. _

 

_ 'Twenty-one my arse, missus’, I joked, planting a kiss on her pretty lips. _

 

_ We ate them with tea, finding the sweetness of the cake, the warmth of the tea and her company comforting. We chit-chatted before heading to her bedroom, all in delicate lavenders and soft, warm greys. _

 

_ We took each other's clothes off slowly, layer by layer, savoring for the first time the precious intimacy I craved for: no glitz and glamour, her face free from make-up, her skin soft and bare, her blushing cheeks as she murmured ‘you are fitter than I remembered, you're so handsome’ raking my fingers into her loose mane as she laid her head on my chest, whispering sweet nothings while we drifted to sleep, skin against skin, listening to her heartbeat, breathing her scent, seeping her warmth. _

 

_ I had never slept so well in my entire life. _

 

_ In the golden morning light, I opened my eyes to the vision of Zara's smile, all luminous and bright, a sun of my own, as she made a trail of kisses down my neck, already feeling the pleasant electricity of her lips over me. _

 

_ 'Have you got any plans for the day?’, she asked, her grin a little naughty, her vixen side emerging. _

 

_ 'Nothing. I'm all yours’, I sighed. _

 

_ 'Fantastic’, she bit her lip. 'Brace yourself then, cowboy’. _

 

_ I smell her intentions, but I just follow her lead and play dumb. 'Why?’ _

 

_ 'This is going to be a wild ride', she says as she straddles me. _

 

_ 'As if it hasn't been already’. _

 

_ She just smiles at me, and I’m sure of something. _

 

_ This is where this story ends, and a new one begins. _

 

* * *

 

Zelda, dressed in a black, strapless satin number with a leg slit, hair in waves, stud earrings her only accessory, read the last paragraphs of the novella with a smile, knowing of the love and dedication put into it, and also of the tiny winks he had left for her - and other words only she would understand perfectly.

 

The night of the release party had finally arrived, and The Castle was to the brim with guests: writers, journalists, socialites, and other characters of the local fauna had gathered for Link -and Linus- public debut.

 

The writer suddenly entered the management office of The Castle, Zelda almost dropping the book to the floor -autographed and with a loving handwritten dedication from the author: _"To my Princess, the original Playgirl"_.

 

'Zelda, I'm gonna freak out’, Link laid on the chaise longue, dressed impeccably in a black suit and tie, white shirt, hair polished, swept to the sides.

 

'Darling, breathe deeply’, Zelda held his hands, sitting next to him. ‘You made it all the way here! The book just came out, and is doing excellent, come on, the pre-orders and the first print were sold out in hours! People are waiting outside just for you!’

 

'What if I flunk it anyway?’, his thumbs made circles over her knuckles.

 

'You won't’, she reassured him. 'You are sweet and charming, at most you won't understand a dirty joke from a fan'.

 

‘It’s very likely’, he sighed, calmed at her reassurance.

 

'And probably everyone will get so drunk that they won't remember if you did’, she giggled. 'I will also be around checking on your well-being’, she kissed his cheek, 'I won't let anyone steal you from me, or make you uncomfortable’.

 

'Thank you, love’, he kissed the back of her hands. ‘I feel better now’, he sat down.

 

'Midna's show is almost over’, Zelda got up, 'Let's go, _Mr. Wolfhardt_ ’.

 

Link followed her, opening the door for her. 'After you, _Princess_ ’.

 

‘Wait a sec’, she stepped towards the desk, grabbing a lipstick and a pocket mirror, applying perfectly a ruby red hue on her lips. ‘Now I’m ready’.

 

‘Dang, woman, you look like a star’, Link fawned over his girlfriend’s dashing looks, leaning on the door frame.

 

‘I’d kiss you, but it isn’t smudge-proof’, she shrugged, blowing him a kiss as she passed before him.

 

‘I’ll have my share once we get back home’.

 

Both left the office and the VIP area, going downstairs, Link leaving through the backstage hallway, Zelda to the main hall, crowded to the brim with guests.

 

She found her father along Midna, who wore an elaborate master of ceremonies garb, consisting of a sleeveless, sequined tuxedo jacket, a corset with rhinestones and bow tie, sequined black shorts, black shiny tights, matching sequined hat and long white gloves.

 

‘Is Link already backstage?’, Daphnes asked, full of excitement.

 

‘Yes, dad’, she nodded. ‘He was just feeling nervous, you know him’.

 

‘Hard not to when over half of the audience is thirsting over him’, he cackled, Midna joining the laughs, ‘you included’.

 

Zelda gasped, absolutely offended at her father’s statement. ‘I’m not like that!’, she grumbled, very pissed.

 

‘I still have your lovestruck faces at the New Year’s party we had at the house on my phone’, he grinned, ‘so do my  _ personal friends _ Rusl and Uli, who I'm waiting for gossiping’.

 

‘You were super lovey-dovey that night thanks to the pep talk I gave to my buddy Link when you fought’, she did a thumbs up.

 

‘You absolute trollop, that wasn’t a pep talk’, Zelda squinted at her ex, ‘You called him _a twink_ ’.

 

‘A  _ pint-sized twink _ ’, Midna cleared up, Daphnes bursting in laughs again.

 

‘Look, anyone compared to you two is a twink, have you checked your heights?’, Zelda shrugged.

 

‘Zelda dear, face. The. Facts.’, Midna crouched, moving Zelda a couple of steps away, and whispered, ‘I know you. I know him. I’ve been with you. He is the bottomest of the bottoms’.

 

Zelda looked at her, serene and still, with a neutral expression.

 

‘What gives’, she sighed in resignation.

 

‘Even  _ you _ think he is, even if it's a little’, she snorted and checked at the orders on her earpiece. ‘Gotta go backstage, your twinkie is going to show up now’, she went away waving at Daphnes, Zelda, Uli and Rusl, who just had joined them.

 

A couple minutes later she appeared onstage, greeting the guests and introducing the author, awaited for all, greeted in a tide of cheers, applauses and hollering.

 

‘Hey y’all, I wanna thank ya for comin’ here tonite, also to everyone behind all of this’, he said in a tone with contained nervousness. 'I never got the real scope when my editor told me I was “popular”, but dang, this is helluva something else’.

 

‘He is on pins and needles’, Rusl commented, ‘his accent just went thicker than molasses’.

 

Zelda clung to Uli’s arm and nodded.

 

‘Although I’m more than a lil’ nervous’, he continued, ‘I’m very glad to be here with ya’ll’.

 

A collective ‘aww’ and a round of applause from the audience were his answers, which made him less insecure.

 

On a small table in front of them was a glass bowl with papers.

 

'Mr. Wolfhardt is going to take ten random questions from the bowl and answer them’, Midna explained. 'Repeated ones -or phone numbers or email addresses, you sleazes- will be rejected, and after the round of questions the book signing will begin’.

 

Link took the first paper and handed it to Midna.

 

‘How did you meet the IRL Playgirl?’, she made an excited gesture to the crowd, knowing Zelda would be probably already blushing.

 

‘Oh, whoa, go big or go home, isn’t it?’, he chuckled. ‘I met her right here at The Castle. She wore a very  _ particular _ costume that night, that’s why I nicknamed her Playgirl’.

 

‘I didn’t know that’, Daphnes murmured. ‘You met on the night of the bunny costumes party?’

 

‘Yes’, she sighed, cheeks hot pink, embarrassed at the fact her boyfriend’s parents finally knew the _actual_ truth. ‘Shad sort of set us up… he took Link after telling you at lunch he had never been to the club’.

 

‘It was like a blind date?’, Uli asked.

 

'A  _ very _ blind and deaf date’, Zelda added, ‘I didn't know he would bring him until Ashei told me, he was a mess, because I kinda looked…  _ intimidating _ ’.

 

Rusl and Uli burst in a loud laugh, knowing exactly Link's reaction.

 

'Next question’, Midna told Link, him taking out another paper, and giving it to her. 'Is the book having any sort of sequel?’

 

‘Are y'all that eager and thirsty?’, Link joked, the crowd giggling. 'Maybe, there are lots of things to tell about these two I think’.

 

'Cheeky! That’s gonna be a smut fest!’, she giggled too.

 

‘Let’s see’ -he took another paper, eyes widened at the question, not even daring to read it, blushing crimson, but still bursting into laughs- 'I might not be shirtless, but my top is over there’, he pointed at the crowd, who laughed and clapped at his joke, making eye contact with Zelda, who wanted to die for a second, yet she flashed a shy smile.

 

‘I always knew it!’, Midna giggled, patting his back, Link snorting a laugh at her.

 

‘Next question’, Midna took a paper this time. ‘Interesting! What’s the real Playgirl/Zara’s real occupation?’

 

Link looked at the public, trying to meet Zelda’s gaze, to get a cue from her. She just winked at him, and he answered.

 

‘She is a therapist’, he shrugged, ‘she does a lot of work with couples… she is a sex counsellor too’.

 

A massive, knowing  _ ‘Ooh!’ _ was the guests’ answer, making Link burst into a loud laugh.

 

‘Y’all made the same face I did when I knew!’, he pointed at the people’s faces.

 

The rest of the brief Q&A session was tranquil, Link making jokes, telling Rusl and Uli ‘cover your ears folks, y'all don't have to know this stuff!’ every time he had to answer something racy.

 

Zelda looked at him calm and happy, glad he had relaxed and let himself go with the flow. To her surprise, while he was signing books and greeting people, he looked like he was actually enjoying himself.

 

Since Daphnes was going to be in charge for the rest of the evening, Zelda could relax a little from coordinating the party, chatting with Auru, Telma, Uli, Rusl, Ashei and Shad, who had rescued Link and Midna from their fans, and gathered for a breather on the lounge, along an additional guest.

 

Since they decided to restrain their displays of affection in public for these events, Link and Zelda found a discreet way to greet each other: they stood side by side, and just linked their pinkies - a very simple, but tender and intimate gesture, that fit their personalities.

 

‘There’s someone who wanted to see you’, Zelda grinned, as a middle-aged man stepped forward. 'He is Charles Laszlo, a friend of my dad, and a patron’.

 

‘Mr. Ezlo!’, Link recognized the book critic and greeted him with a hug, ‘I didn’t see ya in the crowd!’

 

‘Chill, kiddo, just call me Charles! I was talking to Auru on the back, and then to Daphnes’, the slim, white haired man said. ‘I didn’t know you were  _ actually family _ with him, that old scoundrel didn’t tell a thing!’

 

‘I didn’t know you were friends either!’, Link was very surprised at the critic’s affirmation.

 

‘We are  _ frenemies _ !’, Ezlo admitted proudly. ‘I was sort of dating Maeve before he won her over!’ 

 

‘Liiiiiessss, you skinny rat!’, Daphnes popped up from behind the critic, hissing. ‘She was dating me first, then you and someone else, then you two and me. You know she had too much love to give, we had a threesome, remember?’

 

‘Yeah’, he fistbumped the slim man, both grinning.

 

Zelda just sighed, wishing she could erase the image with some shots of vodka, Link looked at him wide-eyed.

 

_ The wildness runs in the family then _ , Link concluded.  _ It was not just Mrs. Maeve. _

 

‘It’s strange how fiction evokes reality and viceversa!’, he mused, stroking his silver beard. ‘Your novella casually reminds me of how Daphnes and Maeve got to know each other and fell in love, although I think your leading lady has a some core differences with my darling Mae’.

 

'You mean  _ my _ darling Mae?’, Daphnes interrupted Ezlo, patting his back. 'That's because she's not based on her’.

 

Zelda darted a look at her father, who played dumb.

 

'I could see that’, he patted him back, observing the writer's companion without her noticing. 'Zara has more...darker undertones. Mae was only light and sparkles’.

 

Daphnes nodded. ‘I could never convince her to stop dyeing her hair black’, he sighed. ‘She was so pretty with her blonde hair, just like my little ladybug!’

 

‘But your eldest daughter is the spitting image of her, as I’ve been able to see’, he noted, turning to Zelda. ‘You wear your mother's dresses with such a poise, she would be proud, Miss Princess’.

 

'Thank you, Charles’, she smiled fondly, ‘I try to keep her spirit alive'.

 

'Aren't you a sweetheart?’, Charles told her.

 

'Of course she is!’, Daphnes and Link almost shouted in unison.

 

Both men kept their banter, as the couple moved aside.

 

‘You seem tired’, Zelda softly stroked Link's cheek. ‘Do you want to get out for fresh air?’

 

‘I wouldn't mind leavin’, I'm spent’, he slouched. ‘I sorta need to recharge’.

 

'What about Uli and Rusl?’

 

‘They're partying ‘till closing time with Telma and your dad, since they're staying over at his place’, he explained.

 

‘I can see that’ -she glanced at them, laughing and drinking relaxed- ‘I have my car parked on the alley of the suppliers’ entry’, she informed him.

 

'You're a genius, Princess’.

 

After bidding farewell to friends and relatives, promising to meet the next morning for breakfast, the couple left discreetly to find Zelda's new car, a simple, practical and compact city car, in a shiny, stormy grey color.

 

'Your ride, my gallant knight in shining armor’, she waved her hands, showing off her vehicle, unlocking it, ‘ta-daa!’

 

‘You are so proud of your buy!’, he grinned, opening the door for her.

 

'It was decently priced, it’s ecological, and so tiny I can park anywhere’, she shrugged after taking her seat.

 

‘This car would be frowned upon in my lands’, he gave her a sly grin as he sat and put on his seatbelt.

 

'Oh right’, she snorted a laugh and rolled her eyes, starting up the engine,  _ 'everything's bigger in Ordon’. _

 

She drove with no hurry, knowing of the love of Link for the city at night, taking a longer route, which passed along the river and crossed through Castletown Bridge before arriving at the apartment.

 

‘I apologize for the mess’, he scratched the back of his head as he opened the door.

 

'You shouldn't, sweetheart’, she noted, ‘half of that mess is mine’.

 

'Yer right’, he giggled, ‘but I made it worse’, and pointed at the hallway that lead to their now shared bedroom, clothes on the floor. ‘I had no idea what to wear, Shad saved my arse on the phone’.

 

Both looked at the boxes on the living room, all tagged with their contents with Zelda’s elegant handwriting, with a strange sense of accomplishment, for they were the proof of her being the new resident of the apartment.

 

Shad, after almost six years of being roommates with Link in diverse apartments, from University through their adult lives, decided to move in with Ashei to take their relationship to the next level, leaving most of the furniture behind.

 

Zelda, despite only bringing in most of her clothes, shoes, accessories, books and other belongings, was surprised that her stuff was more than the apartment could handle… especially on the books department.

 

'I told you it was an awful idea to move in today’, she hung her light jacket on, taking a seat on the couch, 'it added up a lot of stress to you!’.

 

‘It doesn’t matter’, he plopped right next to her, ‘I didn’t want to be alone, and it’s sorta symbolic… the book came out today, you moved in… it’s a new start’.

 

‘That’s sweet’, she gushed, scooting closer to him, who lifted Zelda to sit on his lap; she rested her head on his shoulder, both in silence, in the dark of the living room, as Link’s hands wandered softly over her curves.

 

‘This is it’, he hummed happily, ‘you’re finally here with me’.

 

‘It is, and I’m not going anywhere’, she singsonged, ‘I will annoy you to infinity and beyond’.

 

‘You looked really pretty tonight, cat meme lady’, he whispered, kissing her neck, breathing in her sweet perfume.

 

‘Did I?’, she rolled her hips against him, a knowing smile on her lips, ‘or you are just complimenting me to get me in bed with you?’

 

Link chuckled. ‘Damn, you  _ almost _ got me’, he nibbled her shoulder, a gasp leaving her mouth. ‘I was gonna take ya  _ right ‘ere _ ’, he tightened his grip around her, and sucked on the most sensitive side of her neck, Zelda melting against him.

 

‘Hungry like the wolf, aren’t you?’, she sighed, biting her lower lip, delighted at the shivers down her spine. 

 

‘You ain’t gonna be bossy tonite?’, he hushed.

 

‘Maybe yes’, she stood in front of him, and unzipped the back of her dress, taking it off and leaving it on a stool, revealing under it her bare skin, a pair of tiny black lace panties barely covering her. ‘Maybe no’, she walked towards him, striding slowly in her black patent leather stilettos.

 

‘How dare ya bein’ so damn smoking hot, woman’, he undid his tie, threw it away, and unbuttoned his shirt. ‘Come ‘ere’, and grabbed her hand, lowering her against him again.

 

‘I didn’t have time to prepare too much’, Zelda whispered, taking his hands to embrace and caress her. ‘But I was waiting for this’, she guided his hand down herself, knowing immediately what he felt between her legs was more than enough to arouse him as much as she desired, his hardness growing stronger and eager every second.

 

Link just swallowed hard, his fingers teasing, dipping into her warmth, her moistness, wanting with every stroke and caress to own her more, to hear the little gasps, the hushed ‘ _ oh gods _ ’ that slurred from her lips, only stopping to stand up and, after licking his fingers clean -Zelda swore her legs faltered a little at the image, his eyes piercing hers- he set himself free from the suit, Zelda watching him undress in front of her, glee in her eyes as she feasted on the sight of his defined muscles, the broadness of his back, and the golden tones of his skin.

 

_ I need no gods if I have this ungodly beautiful man with me _ , she said to herself. _ Does he know what he does to me? _

 

He sat on the couch again, tousling his hair, patting his leg. ‘You're gonna ride me’, he said, his tone not begging, nor commanding, just exactly telling what she was up to.

 

Stepping forward after taking off her undergarments, Zelda was about to straddle him, but he corrected her with a ‘backwards’, gesturing with his hand to turn around. She obeyed, lowering her hips. Once his hands took a hold of them, Link penetrated her in one thrust, a loud, pleased gasp breaking the silence on the room.

 

In an attempt to gain control, she moved viciously on top of him rolling, twisting and thrusting her hips, while resting her back on his chest as she clutched to his thighs, until her moves and ministrations proved being useless against the kisses along her jaw and neck, the rough thrusts of his hips and the greed of his hands, which caressed her skin and breasts, teased her nipples, rubbed and stroked her core.

 

Both were on edge, aroused enough to come at any moment, but Zelda lost all control of herself when Link whispered in an unusually rough, deep and husky tone ‘please come for me, my precious princess’, she didn’t know what hit her when her orgasm washed over her, turning her into a shaky mess, as Link came after, his final thrusts leaving her absolutely defeated.

 

Both recovered their breath while they clung to each other, blissfully sated.

 

‘The bed is too far’, Zelda grumbled, throwing herself on one side of the couch. ‘This was a bad idea’.

 

‘Not so much, missy’, he laughed, patting her rear, then standing up.

 

After some steps in the dimly lit room, he almost stumbled on a small box, stubbing his toes in the process, a string of hissed curses coming out of his mouth before he turned on a lamp.

 

‘Damn this little darn box’, he grabbed it, clinking sounds catching his attention, even more the description of “freebies”. 

 

Zelda snorted a laugh, resting her chin on her hand. ‘Open it, if you’re curious’, she encouraged him with a smile.

 

He sat on the carpet, the box on his lap, and opened the folded lids, finding a small collection of toys: a pair of elaborate leather handcuffs, a pink collar, a riding whip, a blindfold, and a roll of red binding rope. 

 

‘What. The. Fuck. Woman?’, his eyes were wide, locked with hers. ‘These are hella kinky!’

 

‘They were freebies from a sex toy company at a seminar on BDSM I went to long ago’, she explained. ‘I have never used them’.

 

‘This is kinda cute’, he looked at the pink collar.

 

‘That’s for submission, remember?’, she noted, ‘or pet play’.

 

‘Adorable, yet perverse?’, he joked, and something clicked in his head.

 

The title he was looking for came immediately to his mind, and he jumped to find a notebook and a pen, scribbling something, showing it to a startled Zelda.

 

‘This is an oxymoron’, she observed what he had written, ‘but I like it’.

 

She took another look at her partner’s energetic handwriting:

 

_ Kinky Vanilla and other stories. _

 

Zelda smiled at the words, and she stamped a crimson kiss above them, on a corner of the white paper of the notepad, then standing to repeat the action over his lips, leaving him marked as well.

 

‘I improved it’, she handed it to him with a smirk.

 

Link nodded.

 

' _This is where this story ends, a new one begins_ ’, he paraphrased his text, with a grin on his stained lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You read it here!
> 
> This story, instead of a super long epilogue, is getting a *smuttier* sequel!
> 
> Kinky Vanilla and other stories will start probably on the first days of November!
> 
> Stay tuned!


	13. Epilogue: Three Phone Calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two lovebirds get their breakfast interrupted by several surprise calls, bringing back memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't originally intended to write this epilogue, but I thought it would be nice to take a tiny glimpse into Link's and Zelda's lives after the events of the story, and to bridge with the follow up I'm soon sharing, Kinky Vanilla.

The morning light filled the room, the curtains and blinds open, its luminosity increased by the white paint on the walls and the large mirror near the window.

 

On the bed, sheets, blankets and covers were crinkled and tossed away, Zelda lying face up in the nude, messed hair, an expression of being enraptured in pleasure on her, as her partner’s head was sunk between her legs, his arms clutched at her thighs, fingers digging in her flesh; her hands grabbing at his hair as his mouth devoured her, tongue teasing viciously at her clit and licking her slit.

 

He rose to breathe in, admiring the mess she had turned into in a matter of minutes, lips and chin drenched in her wetness. 

 

‘Is it good?’, he panted, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

 

‘I was about to cum’, she sighed, loosening the grip on his already messy hair, ‘that good’.

 

‘Gotta finish you off then’, he smirked. ‘Although I should make  _ you _ finish this, since you started teasing, my cheeky lass’.

 

‘I wasn’t’, she feigned innocence, ‘I was just waking you up for breakfast’.

 

‘Breakfast ain’t precisely  _ “wake up your partner for a blowjob” _ , woman’, he cleared out, ‘even if I’m more than glad of waking up like this’.

 

‘You know how I like my breakfast’, she grinned, ‘with a side of Ordon beef’.

 

Link’s jaw hung open at her words, completely unable to retort.

 

‘I swear I’m gonna wipe that lil’ smug look off yer face with some good d-’, his threat was interrupted by their mobile phones loudly ringing in unison.

 

'Should we answer?’, Zelda guessed.

 

'I think so’, he said after seeing the caller ID's: Ashei was calling Zelda, and Shad, Link.

 

‘I bet they had some petty fight again’, he crawled to reach for their phones on the nightstand, and lay on his stomach before answering.

 

‘Anything can happen with those two’, Zelda answered, sitting up straight. 'Hello?’

 

‘SHAD PROPOSED AND I JUST SAID YES!’, Ashei blasted on both phones, ‘BISH I’M GETTING MARRIED, AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE FUCK I SAID YES’, Shad laughing on the background.

 

‘What?!’, Link and Zelda blurted in unison.

 

‘You heard it, peeps’, Shad announced. ‘I’m putting a ring on my lovely Ash, and you are going to be our Maid of Honor and Best Man’.

 

'Um...yes?’, Zelda was a tad worried 

 

‘Of course,pal! When?!’, Link was excited.

 

‘Full moon of the seventh month’, Ashei said, in something closer to her regular monotone.

 

‘That is in less than three months’, Zelda calculated, 'you're not pregnant, aren't you?’

 

‘No way! You really think I’d do a shotgun wedding?’, she cackled.

 

‘No, but you’re impulsive as heck’, Zelda huffed, tucking her hair behind her ear.

 

‘Look who’s talking!’, Ashei snorted, ‘You put your business card on Link’s pocket to make sure he would call you, ha!’

 

Link made a ridiculously huge grin at those words, as his girlfriend’s face went red.

 

‘Ha-ha, thanks for the drag Ashei’, she fumbled. 

 

‘Just stating the facts, babygirl!’ her friend laughed. ‘Talk to you later!’, Ashei and Shad said in unison before hanging up.

 

Link looked at her, still grinning as he put his phone away. ‘Care to explain, my bunny girl?’

 

‘You already know all!’, she hid under the covers. 'I put my card for you to call me, we met for coffee, we liked each other, period’.

 

‘Not that part’, Link held the duvet, to make her face him. ‘What happened before and after the night we met?’

 

‘It’s kind of embarrassing’, she sighed.

 

‘I betcha I’ve got stories loads more embarrassing than yours’, he assured, tucking under the covers with her.

 

* * *

 

 

_ ‘Princess, you’ve got a blind date tonight’, Ashei’s voice snickered through the earpiece. _

 

_ ‘What?!’, Zelda shouted, safe in the management office, as she fixed the handcuffs of her bunny costume. _

 

_ ‘That dork of Shad brought his roomie, the guy he was trying to sell you on Sunday’, the raven-haired host warned her. _

 

_ The manager’s eyes widened, as she blushed crimson. ‘He had to do it today, of all days?! Does he even remember today’s a themed party? This costume is a bit ridiculous to meet someone, to be honest’, her bunny ears bounced as she moved. _

 

_ ‘First, you didn't have to commit to the cause to that extent, you’re the fucking manager, bish! Second, it’s not like you’re meeting your future husband or something like that, treat him like you would with a patron’, Ashei’s words tried to lighten her up, ‘if you don’t like him, just intimidate him a little, and he will go away. Not a hard job for you, babe’. _

 

_ ‘I hope that works’, Zelda sighed, ‘I’m good as I am right now’. _

 

_ ‘I beg to differ, but whatever’, Ashei shrugged on the other side of the line. ‘The guy is attractive at least, outdoorsy looks, blond, tanned, on the shy side it seems… talk to you later, Princess, there’s a huge party incoming’. _

 

_ ‘Ok, Yeti, over and out’. _

 

_ Zelda sighed, and went downstairs. ‘At least I hope he isn’t a bore’. _

 

_ He wasn’t.  _

 

_ And her friend was right. He was very attractive indeed - those eyes! The adorable accent! His body language indicated he wasn't cocky and threatening, just humble and gentle! _

_ Despite the need to elbow her dad on the ribs for cooperating with the ruse, Zelda felt like a cat toying with a very cute toy. _

 

_ ‘He is so bashful!’, she grinned with mischief after taking him to the lounge to chat and drink something, ‘I am enjoying so much to tease him… and he seems clever. He isn’t smug or arrogant, unlike other writers uncle Charles has introduced me… maybe...’, she moved towards the bar, where her handbag was concealed, when Shad went to pick his friend, decided to make the first move and took a card, slipping it on the pocket of his olive green shirt when she bid Link farewell, with a speck of hope to see him again, and typed a message. _

 

_ Zelda _

_ Ash, spank me. I've been a bad girl. _

 

_ Yeti _

_ WTF? TAKE UR KINKY ASS OUT OF THIS CONVO _

 

_ Zelda _

_ I gave Shad's friend my phone number. _

 

_ Yeti _

_ YOU LIKED HIM ENOUGH TO DO THAT? WOW. _

 

_ Zelda _

_ He is really sweet and charming despite his shyness, and definitely the club is not a good place to meet someone. He was making an effort to not stare at my T&A like a horndog. That's a very gentleman thing to do. _

 

_ Yeti  _

_ Awwww I bet he'll call you xoxo _

 

_ Zelda _

_ I hope so xoxo _

 

_ But after three days, she had heard nothing from him, either in a good or bad way. If he were another kind of guy, she wouldn't have minded, but she knew he was kind of worth taking the risk.  _ Maybe he just lost my card without realizing _ , she thought, a very real possibility. _

 

_ She lay on the bed at home, a tad defeated at the indifferent treatment she had gotten from him, her little sister next to her. _

 

_ ‘You’re bugged about something, Morpho’, Agitha stated as she played a videogame on her portable console. 'You have been mopey all weekend, and staring at your phone more than usual’. _

 

_ Zelda giggled. ‘I am, a little bit, though’, she said. ‘I gave my phone number to someone I met the other day’. _

 

_ ‘Whoa, amazing! That's so unlike you, Morpho!’, the blonde girl’s eyes were wide, ‘was a boy or a girl? You always are more direct with girls’. _

 

_ ‘A boy, Aggie’, Zelda smiled, ‘a very nice, handsome, shy one’. _

 

_ ‘Oooh!’, the younger sister exclaimed coyly. ‘Like a grasshopper!’ _

 

_ ‘He was wearing a green shirt actually!’, Zelda giggled. ‘And he was rather jumpy, so he was like one!’ _

 

_ ‘It’s the first time in a very long time I see you cheery about meeting someone new!’, the young one put the handheld aside and lay next to her sister. ‘Is your heart ready for a new bug?’ _

 

_ ‘I...I think so, but I think that I am going to take things slowly’. _

 

_ ‘Well, you shouldn’t be worried then!’, Agitha shrugged, ‘grasshoppers are nervous, but determined bugs. He’ll call you once he calms down and stops jumping around!’. _

 

_ Zelda looked at her sister, amazed at her assertiveness and confidence. ‘You are the best at giving advice, you know, Aggie?’ _

 

_ ‘I learned that from mommy and you’, Agitha tilted her head, her pigtails and lacey ribbons wiggling back and forth. _

 

_ ‘Awww, Aggie!’, Zelda turned to give a hug to her sister, planting a loud smooch on her head, ‘I love you so-’ _

 

_ Her phone started ringing loudly, she rolled towards her nightstand, seeing an unknown number on the screen, Agitha containing her laughter at her elder sister’s excited reaction. _

 

_ ‘Hello?’ _

 

_ ‘P-Princess… Z-Zelda?’ _

 

_ She just laughed at his clumsy greeting. _

 

* * *

 

‘You were all tingly about me calling you?’, Link's face was all glee.

 

‘Yes’, she looked away, 'now let me die a little’.

 

‘That’s nothing to be embarrassed of’.

 

‘I was because I felt jitters and stuff, like a fifteen year-old’, she blushed pink to the tips or her ears. ‘I even cut you telling I had a patient, but I was home with Aggie! I just needed to shriek and squeal like a doofus’.

 

‘Your cute face is murdering me right now’, he hugged her, planting a smooch on her cheek, then kissing her on the lips; Zelda reciprocated him with a kiss that sent shivers down his spine, reminding him of what they were doing before the interruption.

 

‘You said you were going to wipe the smug look off my face’, she hushed, her hands sliding down his stomach, ‘you’re not a man of empty threats’.

 

He almost purred at the soft strokes of her hands up and down his length, as he settled himself between her thighs, penetrating her after she let go of him; a pleased gasp left her throat, a victorious smirk on his lips.

 

And then, the phone rang again.

 

‘Mine?’, Link recognized his ringtone, and lifted his gaze to see the caller ID, eyes wide open when the screen read “Ilia”. ‘What the heck? Why is she calling out of the blue?’

 

‘Just answer, do me later’, she sighed. ‘Maybe it’s important’.

 

He followed her instructions. ‘Yo, howdy?’

 

‘Hi, buddy’, Ilia chimed in. ‘How ya doin’ in the big city with the missus?’

 

‘Excellent!’, he exclaimed.  _ Right between her legs, but nevermind. _

 

‘I wonder if you and Zelda are available on the midsummer weekend’, she enquired, ‘...and if you two are up to being Fado and I’s best man and maid of honor!’.

 

‘You’re getting married too?!’, he shouted, Zelda sitting of the surprise, a happy look on her face. ‘A couple of friends just told us they’re getting hitched!’

 

Ilia laughed loudly on the other side of the line. ‘Lemme guess? You’re the best man and Zelda the maid of honor too at that one,’

 

‘Heck yeah!’, he giggled.

 

'Well, make it double then!’

 

‘I’d be honored to be Fado’s Best Man, so count me in!’, he handed Zelda the phone.

 

‘Hey, I’m in too! Gods, I am so happy for you, darling!’, Zelda’s tone was completely enthusiastic. ‘You have to tell me everything later!’

 

‘Thank you Zeldie! I’ll text ya for all the details, the dress and stuff! Talk to y’all later, darlings!’

 

‘Sure, sweetie! Bye!’, she hung up. 

 

‘I think it’s unbelievable how well you two get along’, Link left his phone again.

 

‘Ilia is a sweetheart, and she doesn’t think I’m a “city slicker”, like you!’, she frowned, sticking her tongue out. 'As if you hadn't lived in the city for years now!’

 

‘Hard not to, ‘cause her first impression of ya was you wearing one of my sweaters, my pajama bottoms and your hair like a rat’s nest after our make-up sex marathon’.

 

‘Don’t remind me’, she shut her eyes tight, ‘it was the most embarrassing introduction of my life, I looked like a hobo’.

 

‘There always a first time for everything’, he affirmed, giving her a peck on the lips, a question sparking on Zelda’s head.

 

‘Which reminds me… you have never told me who your first kiss was’, she asserted. ‘It was not Ilia, nor I’.

 

Link’s face burst red, and covered it with a pillow. ‘Nope, nope, nope!’, sounded his muffled words, crawling down the covers, ‘too embarrassing to tell!’

 

‘I already told you my embarrassing story, now is your turn, I guess?’, she grinned, poking the bundle he had turned himself into.

 

His head emerged from under the pillow, and sighed a defeated ‘yer right’.

 

* * *

 

 

_ ‘Shad, I wanna get drunk’, Link stated upon his arrival to the apartment he share with his senior, his face with a defeated expression, gloom all over him. _

 

_ Shad just blinked at him while stirring some curry he was cooking on the stove. _

 

_ ‘Care to explain why the sudden urge to get wasted, sport?’ _

 

_ ‘The girl I liked back home is dating my homie’, he roughly explained, tears welling on his eyes. 'I know I shouldn't feel so heartbroken, because I've supposedly moved on and stuff, but it still hurts’. _

 

_ His roommate gave him an understanding look, and turned off the heat, serving two dishes. _

 

_ ‘Do you honestly think alcohol is going to ease the blow? Because in my experience, it does not’, he approached Link and handed him one of the plates. _

 

_ ‘No, but still’, he sat on the couch, Shad following suit, both eating in silence for a moment, the former wolfing down the food, the latter savoring it slowly, thinking about something on his head. _

 

_ Shad rolled his eyes and sighed. 'Well, sport, rest assured of something’, he patted his back, ‘after today, the only thing you shall suffer about will be your hangover’. _

 

_ 'That’s surely a better prospect’. _

 

_ The senior student tapped his phone screen, looking up for something. 'The literature club is hosting a party today, I got an invite the other day’. _

 

_ 'What kind of party can throw a bunch of book nerds like us?’ _

  
  


_ After their arrival to the majestic, old gothic Manor with large, vertical stained glass windows and carved stone facade that hosted the literature club and other related ones, both young men were welcomed by a sea of diverse alcoholic beverages and loud music, Link's eyebrows raising at realizing how wrong he was. _

 

_ ‘Literature has provided the widest array of party animals in history’, Shad affirmed, ‘No good writer hasn’t had at least one night of wild partying, it’s almost a requirement’, and handed him a shot glass. _

 

_ ‘What’s this?’ _

 

_ The liquid was transparent and odorless. Link looked at it suspiciously. _

 

_ ‘It’s strong enough to help you forget your woes, old sport, but go easy’, Shad patted his friend’s back, and clinked his glass with Link’s. ‘Bottoms up!’ _

 

_ And both downed their tequila shots. _

 

_ Link felt the burn of the alcohol first numb him, a few seconds later a warm sensation spreading all over him, vanishing all the tension on his body. _

 

_ ‘This is great’, the words almost slurred from Link’s mouth. _

 

_ ‘That’s my ole sport! Don’t abuse it immediately and you’ll be fine!’, Shad cheered, as they began to mingle with other people at the party, talking very animatedly about classes, professors and other random matters - the sophomore's behavior surprising more than one classmate. _

 

_ Link was unusually chatty and outgoing, clearly under the stimulating effects of alcohol, and, in a move that was half-ignorance, ralf-recklessness, downed several more shots while Shad was distracted, the buzz of alcohol kicking in like a wild ram. _

 

_ ‘Oh, this song is so good!’, Link blurted, walking a little clumsily. _

 

_ ‘You like Lana Del Ray?’, Shad squinted at him, noticing something off. _

 

_ ‘I got that summertime, summertime sadness, s-s-summertime, summertime sadness, got that summertime, summertime sadness, oh-ohohohoh!’, the blond sung loudly, feeling the song deeply. ‘Yeah’. _

 

_ ‘I’m not so silently judging you...but I’ll make an exception because you’re wallowing’, he pointed out, still giving him the side eye. ‘I’ve assumed you don’t like girls who call you “daddy”, right, sport?’ _

 

_ ‘Of course! That’s gross’, Link grabbed another shot, downing it as quickly as the previous ones, following the beat of a new song. _

 

_ ‘Gotcha, pal!’, he snatched the empty glass. ‘I told you to go slow or you’ll get wasted immediately!’ _

 

_ ‘But Shad, I’m feeling great!’, he clumsily danced a little to the disco beats booming, ‘I feel like polishing the dancefloor!’ _

 

_ ‘If you just wanted to dance and sing to electronic music while getting smashed, I should have taken you to a gay club’, the bespectacled young man complained. ‘At least I could be enjoying the view while you blast off your liver to the stratosphere’. _

 

_ Link gasped at Shad’s last statement. ‘Maybe that’s the reason why Ilia doesn’t want me!’ _

 

_ ‘What reason, you say?’ _

 

_ ‘Maybe I’m gay!’ _

 

_ Shad slapped his forehead, and knew Link was completely and irredeemably drunk. _

 

_ ‘I have known you for almost three years and I'm sure you're not even a bit gay’, the senior grumbled. ‘Maybe slightly bisexual, but definitely not gay’. _

 

_ ‘I like indie music! I am majoring in Literature! I’m sensitive! I look non-threatening!’, Link shouted, as Shad discreetly dragged him outside the old manor for some fresh air in the beautiful garden which had a lovely gazebo with seatings. _

 

_ ‘Link, as an openly bisexual man who has so far dated more men than women, I am very sorry to inform you that you are most probably not gay, just smashed and very confused’, he made Link sat and joined him on the bench. _

 

_ ‘Lemme kiss you then’. _

 

_ Shad couldn't believe what he was hearing. ‘Umm… no way, sport? Even if I liked you in that way I wouldn't, you're not on your senses’. _

 

_ 'I wanna kiss ya, man’, he insisted, ‘I need to know!’ _

 

_ 'You don't need to be kissing people around to confirm your orientation!’, he cleared out, wishing Link had been a weepy drunkard instead of whatever he was being. _

 

_ 'I do’, and with that, he grabbed Shad's shirt collar and stamped a clumsy kiss, to the senior's surprise. _

 

_ After some seconds of contact, Link let go of him, gasping for air. _

 

_ 'What in Hylia's good name was that, old sport?’, Shad asked befuddled, impressed at his friend's senseless bravado. _

 

_ ‘That was terrible’, Link slapped his face. 'It was like kissing cardboard...not your lips, they were smooth as heck, but mine’. _

 

_ ‘I told you to use chapstick, they felt like sandpaper’. _

 

_ 'I… that was my first kiss’. _

 

_ 'Oh’. _

 

_ 'Yeah’, Link laughed awkwardly. _

 

_ 'It shows’, Shad sighed, and tried to lighten up the mood. 'Not dreadful, but for a first kiss, it could have been worse… at least you have a fun anecdote to tell’. _

 

_ 'I guess so…? And I'm really not gay’, he slurred, 'but now I've ruined our friendship!! I'm awful’, and started sobbing. _

 

_ 'I told you', Shad patted his back to console him. 'But I don't think any less of you for this mishap! You're still my pal, my fella, my old sport!’  _

 

_ 'You won't ditch me on a crack like Ilia?’ _

 

_ Shad just grumbled at his question. _

 

_ 'Look, my fellow, let's be clear on this: Ilia didn't ditch you, she moved on, and just started dating your friend’, he corrected him. 'I won't leave you, lest being drunk as you are right now'. _

 

_ 'Okie dokie’, Link's sobbing subsided a little. 'It still hurts so much, ‘cause it's like I became a stranger to her… and I wrote her so many stories to help her remember me and nothing happened! I just’ -he broke down in tears again, weeping his heart out. _

 

_ Shad hugged him as he cried, patting his back to soothe him. 'Everything will be fine, fella, you'll see’. _

 

_ Once calmer, and less weepy, Link wiped his damp cheeks and snot with the sleeve of his hoodie. _

 

_ 'I love ya, bro’, Link clung to him, 'yer awesome’.  _

 

_ 'Me too, sport, just don't ever drink tequila ever again’. _

 

_ ‘Yeah, I'm already feeling like goat shit’. _

 

_ 'Shall we go home then? You should show me later those stories you wrote!’ _

 

_ 'Yeah, sure. I am tellin ya they’re, like, super corny’. _

 

_ ‘I bet they're not’. _

 

* * *

 

 

'And I never drank tequila ever again’, he affirmed proudly. 'I did get drunk a second time, at graduation party, and never touched alcohol again’.

 

Zelda wasn't sure if to laugh or die of second hand embarrassment. ‘You seem a terrible drunk’.

 

'I saved you the dubious honor of seein’ me like that’, he shuffled down the covers, getting cozier.

 

'I like you more sober, you seem to be a hot mess’, she snorted a laugh, raking her fingers through his hair.

 

'What kind of drunk are you, hun?’

 

'Either feisty or clingy with a side of horny, then sleepy, I am like fallen timber’, she grimaced, embarrassed of herself. 'Midna carried me home once like that, she told me I was a sack of potatoes in heels and a sequined dress'.

 

'Glamorous, I like that’, he joked. 'We're both awful drunkards’.

 

'I drink very little, but I don't mind getting drunk on you, though’, she snuggled against his chest, 'so… we can continue with our  _ breakfast’ _ .

 

He nodded, and dunk her under the covers, aiming to her neck, peppering it with kisses.

 

And the phone rang again, both reacting with a slightly frustrated groan.

 

Zelda recognized her ringtone, the custom sound she had set for her family, and her eyebrows raised.

 

'Agitha?’, she answered.

 

‘Sister! It's dad!’, her voice was high and gasping.

 

'Gods, what happened?’, Zelda was immediately concerned.

 

'He finally asked Telma out!!!’, the little one squealed with joy, Zelda mimicking her outburst.

 

Link just snorted a laugh at what he overheard.

 

'He will probably tell us all at lunch today, but nana Impaz and I heard him last night talking on the phone!’, she giggled mischievously.

 

‘That’s why he was acting so weird around her on Friday!’, Zelda remembered. 'Oh Gods, I'm so happy! Thanks for the scoop, my ladybug!’

 

'I bet you and grasshopper have some scoop too, Morpho!’

 

'We do’, both giggled, 'but it's a surprise!’

 

'Ooh!!! Exciting!’, Agitha's voice sounded thrilled, ‘see you at lunch then, be early! Love you!’

 

'Love you!!!’, and Zelda hung her phone.

 

Both remained in silence, and looked at each other.

 

'You don't want to give it a last try?’, Zelda offered, snuggling again with Link.

 

‘We’re probs getting interrupted again’, he laughed, sitting on the bed, trying to find his clothes. 'We better get breakfast, I'm more hungry than horny now’.

 

'Same, more with Aggie's gossip’, Zelda took her clothes from under her pillow, and pulled a large t-shirt over her. 

 

'Two weddings in less than three months’, Link mused as he dressed and got up. ‘I’ve never been to one, can you believe it?’

 

'I can’, she smirked. ‘Add those symposiums I'll have to go in between and our schedule is packed’.

 

'I'll miss you’, he leaned dramatically on the doorframe.

 

'You won't, you're writing some drafts for your next book, don't you?’, she approached him, kissing his forehead.

 

'Right’, he smiled. 

 

'You're still fixated with the idea you had when we moved in?’

 

'Yup’.

 

'You are falling into the dark side’, she giggled, walking down the hall.

 

'Nah’, he shook his head, both entering the kitchen, all bathed in the morning light. 'Hardly’.

 

He looked at Zelda as she waited for the electric kettle to boil: smiling, with almost a golden aura as she stood by the window, still a little sleepy, but she looked so  _ happy _ , his heart would burst with joy.

 

'I've realized somethin’, hun’, Link told her as he sat at the table.

 

'And what would that be?’, she smiled at him as she poured the hot water on the coffee pot.

 

'This is gonna be one hell of a summer’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's a wrap! 
> 
> I wanna thank to all of you, for your kind comments and encouragement, especially to the lovely Oli /liv_andletdie for her support and input. This work wouldn't be possible without her help.


End file.
